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Altion 52706/8/47
Cypher (0.T.P.)
TO GOVERNOR GENERAL. MALAYA (Mr. M. Macdonald)
(at Singapore)
Sent 5th December, 1947. 01.45 hrs.
IMMEDIATE
No.726.
Addressed Governor-General Malaya. Repeated to Gov. Malayan Union, No. 1534.
"Gov. Singapore, No.1218 (Governor-
General please pass) "Gov Hong Kong, No. 1861.
#
Your telegram G.G. No. 411.
Hong Kong Salaries Report.
I am grateful to Halayan Governments for commenting so promptly, and must again express regret that material upon which they were asked to comment reached them so late. You will
however, have seen Hong Kong telegram addressed to me as No.1807 and repeated to you as No.34. In the light of this télegram, I trust that you and Malayan Governors will agree that observations in your telegram under reference based as they were on very rapid scrutiny, were unnecessarily alarmist.Comments based on examination here, which confirm Hong Kong's view that there is not much real disparity in recommendations embodied in the two Reports, are included in my immediately following telegram.
2.
As regards possibility of a different retrospective date being adopted in Hong Kong and Malayan territories respectively, I appreciate difficulties outlined in your paragraphs 5 end 7, but ain firmly of the view that this question must in each case be decided on the basis of relevant local considerations, without regard to decisions taken elsewhere. Moreover, it seems to me that the Malayan Governments, in proposing publication of their own recommendations in favour of August 1st, 1947, at a time when they knew that an earlier date was actively under consideration for Hong Kong, gave a clear indication that their view on this point coincides with my own.
3.
Decision on main Hong Kong proposals will be communicated during next few days. Meanwhile, I agree that announcement proposed in paragraph 8 of your telegram under reference, with addition of words "and requirements of Colonial Service" at end of second sentence, should be made as soon as possible in Malayan Union and Singapore, and should accompany publication of Trusted Report. I appreciate your point about The undesirability of indicating that there will be delay in bringing Malayan proposals into operation. You may rest assured that as soon as your own comments on Trusted Report are received, the whole matter will be considered here as rapidly as possible ia conformity with thoroughness.
copies, sent to:-
Treasury
Mr. Pitblado
Mr. DR. Serpell, 0.B.E.
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