CO129-595-8 United Nations Relief Rehabilitations Administration Supplies 10-5-1946 - 1-1-1947 — Page 4

..I.

position

Apart from the question of whether the in Hong Kong really merits reconsideration of the policy of non-application to U.N.R.R.A. which has already been accepted, there are other factors e.g. the political. If "emergency relief" in the form of textiles and electrical equipment etc., were made available to Hong Kong by U.N.R.R.A. it would, as pointed out in 7, be absolutely necessary that it should be made clear that such relief was not being given at the expense of China. Although this is primarily an F.0. point it is a matter of consider- able concern to Hong Kong particularly in her relations with anton.

the

I imagine that the blessing" bestowed on Mrs. Scott was fairly vague and that, in view of date of 1 (g), it was given before Sir Mark Young's return. Subject to any comments by the International Relations Department, I suggest that we should now telegraph to the Governor and ask what the position is and what are his recommendations. Draft herewith.

essicbucel

wor 1.7.46

In the light of the previous decision (see 59015/1/45) that U.N.R.R.A.should not be applied to the British Far Eastern territories, I do not think we should give the Governor of Hong Kong any indication at this stage whether H.M.G. would consider making a formal application for assistance for Hong Kong. I suggest therefore that the telegram should be confined to finding out whether Mrs. Scott's mission had anything in it, together with an indication that there are difficulties in making a formal application. I therefore submit an

alternative draft.

C. A Joursion

2nd July, 1946.

Mr. T.W. Davies

Mr. Bennett

I don't think that any good purpose will be served by making enquiries about Mrs. Scott and her activities. But I do think that we should give the Governor a somewhat stronger indication of the difficulties about making an application to U.N.R.R.A. for supplies for Hong Kong. With reference to the point made in the first paragraph of Mr. Davies' minute, I imagine that if it was decided to apply for U.N.R.R.A. supplies for Hong Kong, we should also apply for them for Malaya and Borneo, and that the point to be made is really that if any British territory does receive supplies from U.N.R. R. A., that will have to be taken into account in considering their demands for supplies from other sources. I have attempted a third draft. If you agree with

it