TNAG-0050-FCO40-86-Disturbances-essential-food-supplies-1968 — Page 83

2600027 C.S. 20A

HwB

SECRET.

SAVINGRAM

From the Governor, Hong Kong ommonwealth Affairs.

To the Secretary of State for exotis

Repeated to:-

Repeated to:-

14 July, 1967

My Reference... (113) in T. S. 1/47

SECRET 2

1329

No.

No.

RECET

No.

Your Reference.

じ

2/6/1

1.

Essential Food Supplies,

My telegram No, 851,

2 WB 1/17

I enclose three copies of a paper which examines the present consumption, stocks and sources of essential food supplies in Hong Kong. The figures quoted are the most recent available and it is proposed to subject them and other aspects of the text to regular review.

The con- clusions drawn in paragraphs 30-35 of the paper are stated in general terms and were drafted before our recent experiences.

2.

The stoppage of supplies from China from 28th June to 1st July has drawn attention to the following:

(a)

(b)

(c)

the need to reduce the present communist dominance over the supply and distribution of all food supplies for the local population. Although the embargo was hardly a political success the local Chinese agencies, such as the NG FUNG HONG and China Travel Service, have shown that they can. prevail on the Chinese suppliers and railways to stop supplies for at least a limited period. They have also used the hold-up as a means of gaining greater control over lorry transport and of refusing further supplies to selected retailers.

similar need to restrict communist influence over operations in the port.

They have shown that at least for a limited period, the loading and unloading of a number of ocean going vessels can be seriously slowed down, The movements of lighters, cargo junks and river craft have also been affected. Main communist influence during this four day period appears to have been imposed more on the crews of small tugs than on lightermen,

the importance of being able to reduce Hong Kong's dependence on China for food by encouraging the development of alterna- tive sources of supply, possibly by regulating imports on a quota basis.

12

· /(d)

SECRET