CO129-607-4 Repatriation of exinternees- financial responsibility for passages 2-2-1949 - 29-12-1949 — Page 41

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persons repatriated from Hong Kong should be met from public funds. The difficult situation which would have arisen if Legislative Council had been asked to vote the money for these passages was avoided as a result of the grant by His Majesty's Government of one million pounds to assist the Colony in solving the problems arising out of expenditure connected with the war. Most unfortunately, for reasons of which you are aware, this settlement was never very enthusiastically received locally, and, if it is now suggest- ed that the Colony should pay for the homeward passages from the first port of transhipment, a political problem of some gravity will be created. I am quite certain that a vote for such expenditure could only be obtained if forced through by the official majority, and for this reason I decided that it would be unwise to put the matter to Finance Committee until you had had an opportunity to give it further consideration.

7.

The shipping companies concerned have already been paid and the expenditure has been included in the general cost of the war. It is admitted that the repatriation of these internees was a military operation and, as such, I must confess that it appears to me to be an Imperial commitment. Any attempt to recover these payments will give rise to much bitterness, and will have serious political repercussions. I submit that with the prospect further deterioration in the position in South East Asia, we cannot afford to permit any serious difference to develop between the Government and those that they govern over a comparatively trivial issue, and I earnestly trust that, on further consideration, you will decide that no attempt should be made to recover the cost of these passages.

KMAB/jmh.

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