CO129-595-8 United Nations Relief Rehabilitations Administration Supplies 10-5-1946 - 1-1-1947 — Page 72

With Mr. R.C. Griffiths' compliments.

F.18642/086

R206

72

TREASURY CHAMBERS

24th June, 1946.

Dear Gabbett,

I refer to your letter to Mayle of 11th June of which a copy was sent to Copleston about the proposal, of rather peculiar genesis, that UNPRA aid should be given to Hong Kong. This is to let you know that from the Treasury point of view, we would be only too pleased for an application to be made by H.M.G. for UNRRA assistance to Hong Kong to the extent of about $1m. Even if we had to pay for the goods supplied at some later date, there would still appear to be some advantages in the proposal since Hong Kong would almost certainly receive valuable supplies from UNRRA at an earlier date than they could be obtained by other means. We would, of course, have to ensure that any programme of supplies drawn up should contain only items which are able to the local population, but Loud imagine that there would be no difficulty about this.

I am sending a copy to Mayle,

Brig. K.J. Gabbett,

Foreign Office.

Yours sincerely,

(sgd.) R.C. GRIFFITHS