CO129-595-8 United Nations Relief Rehabilitations Administration Supplies 10-5-1946 - 1-1-1947 — Page 75

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CABLES: COLONIES WASHINGTON

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BRITISH COLONIES SUPPLY MISSION

COMMUNICATIONS ΤΟ BE ADDRESSED TO BRITISH COLONIES SUPPLY MISSION AND THE FOLLOWING

REFERENCE QUOTED.

101/29

1800 K St.N.W.

KDING

STREEFON

WASHINGTON 1, D. C.

17th May 1946

EUGENE MELVILLE, ESQ.

The Colonial Office,

Downing St.

London, S.W.1

Dear Eugene,

I am afraid that this is not really your concern but I thought that I ought to tell you about a rather curious talk I had with a visitor yesterday.

Jacklingof the Embassy 'phoned to say that he had with him a Mrs. Scott who had come from Hong Kong. Her mission was to obtain supplies for Hong Kong and he would be very much obliged if I would see

I arranged a talk at 3 p.m.

her.

When the good lady had left him, Jackling 'phoned again to say that Mrs. Scott stated that she had been sent over unofficially by the Hong Kong authorities to sound UNRRA about relief supplies. Admiral Fraser and his colleague were fully aware that an official approach could not be made on behalf of Hong Kong because it was a Crown Colony but their need was so urgent that they were at their wit's end. I told Jackling that obviously I could not do anything officially and I was surprised that Mrs. Scott had not seen the Colonial Office or the Foreign Office in London. I rather told him that he had fobbed the lady off on to me but nothing could be done as she was on her way.

Mrs. Scott was quite an ordinary-looking person but obviously intelligent and I do not think there is much doubt that her mission had some sort of unofficial blessing. Her chief interest was in building materials and textiles. She had been to UNRRA, who had suggested Surplus Depots in the Far East as likely sources for her building materials (including baths, hardware, etc.) and, she said, had promised a million yards of textiles if any British Agency would just lift a finger to give the application official support. I told Mrs. Scott that I was surprised that she had not called into the Colonial Office - to which she replied "if I had done so they would probably have pre- vented my coming here!" I said that as the representative of the

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