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IOS INGH
FRANSPORT
MINISTRY OF
Our reference: S.T.17/18/02 Your reference: HWB.10/4(T.S.)
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
SEA TRANSPORT DIVISION
34/36 Parliament Street, LONDON S.W.I Telex: 21352 Telegrams: Transminry London Telex Telephone: 01-799 5655, ext. 16
(after 5-30 p.m. 01-799 4204)
6th September,1968.
(61)
Dear Carter,
Second paragraph is noted.
Thank you for yours of 14th August about Plan DIGIT.
Your
Our action consequent upon the demise of the Plan will be
twofold.
1.
We assume there will be no continuing need for our Minister's power to requisition shipping, conferred on him by the Orders in Council of 1955 and 1958. If this is so, we should wish to cancel the instructions issued in 1955 to the three local officials to whom the executive power would have been delegated by the Minister. These are :-
(b
the Counsellor (Shipping Adviser) in the Far East;
the Divisional Sea Transport Officer(Far East);
(c) the Sea Transport Officer, Hong Kong(qua Commodore-in-Charge
Hong Kong).
The presence of the second-named in this country on leave provides an opportunity of explaining the situation to him in secrecy.
Your own Department promoted the making of the two Orders and will no doubt have considered their revocation.
Our records indicate that they were not gazetted at the time of making, so presumably there would be no need to publicise their revocation.
2.
Our Resident Clerk holds an instruction relating to action required out of office hours. This can be discreetly withdrawn as part of a general review of his standing instructions.
It I should be glad to have any comment on either of these moves. would also be helpful to know how far any of the three named officials are likely to have learned the news already, e.g. through the Governor's entourage.
R
CG.
104
Pe. R&R.
ARG 6.9.68.
W.S. Carter, Esq.,C.V.O., Hong Kong Department, Commonwealth Office, Curtis Green Building, Victoria Embankment, London, S.W.1.
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Yours sincerely,
Jlllayton
(J Chayton)
bu to Mo Carter on
25.9,68.
A
9.9.68.
62
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