CO129-613-1 Seminary of Dominican Fathers- Rosary Hill 7-4-1948 - 11-10-1949 — Page 22

COPY

EMBAJADA DE ESPANA EN LONDRES

MEMORANDUM

21

According to information received at the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Governor of Honk Kong has requested the Spanish Missionaries who are occupying a building on Rosary Hill to leave the premises by the 15th July 1949, so that they may be converted into a hospital.

This building is used to accommodate not only the Spanish Missionaries and several clerical students and Spanish Dominican refugees, but also a number of Chinese an Philippine nationals, members of various religious orders, including Cardinal Tien and Bishop Chen.

The decision taken by the Governor of Hongkong has confronted the occupants of this building, who number about 250, with a very grave situation, in view of the very pressing accommodation problem.

The Spanish Government would, therefore, be very grateful if His Majesty's Foreign Office could approach the competent authorities in order to obtain either a postponement of the operation of this requisition order or that, at least, a part of the building should be left avialable for the use of the present occupants, who would otherwise find themselves homeless.

In view of the urgency of the problem and the closeness of the requisition order date, it would be greatly appreciated if the matter could be given urgent attention.

London, 11th July, 1949.