CO129-595-8 United Nations Relief Rehabilitations Administration Supplies 10-5-1946 - 1-1-1947 — Page 56

Tel. No.:

NATIONAL

FOR

DISABLED

SCHEM

: Whitehall 1234

Your Reference 5.33.9/46.

Treasury Reference 18642/086.

Dear Mayle,

5612

TREASURY CHAMBERS,

GREAT GEORGE STREET,

LONDON, S.W.1.

12th July, 1946.

Thank you for your letter of 5th July about UNRRA assistance for Hong Kong. I think I can certainly agree that there can be no question at the present time of altering the present policy of H.M.G. not to apply for free assistance from UNRRA for the British Far Eastern territories. An emergency relief programme such as has been suggested need not be free relief. The Philippines have, for example, been declared payers and although they are receiving relief, they are now having to pay for it.

IA

5 A.

This being so, I am inclined to suggest that instead of your telegram to Hong Kong, we should reply to Washington telegram 3670 COMPLY and 4015 COMPLY, which could be repeated to Hong Kong and Shanghai, putting to them a proposal that we should ask for an emergency relief programme for Hong Kong but that we should pay for it by means of an appropriate addition to the U.K. sterling contribution to UNRRA. This will no doubt involve some accounting between Hong Kong and the Colonial Office but has the advantage of getting some immediate dollar assistance for Hong Kong and at the same time, not contravening Government policy regarding free assistance to the British Colonies.

I do not think we need have any worry about Stent's point concerning the diversion of relief from China. Any supplies sent would not, in fact, constitute such a diversion and we could say so loudly and clearly.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Gabbett.

N.L. Mayle, Esq.,

Colonial Office.

Yours sincerely,

Res

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