TNAG-0170-FCO40-206-British-Trade-Commissioner-1969 — Page 76

ORITISM

LEYLAND] BRITISH LEYLAND MOTOR CORPORATION LIMITED

LIMIT

BERKELEY SQUARE HOUSE BERKELEY SQUARE LONDON WIX 6DL

Tel: 01-499 6050

44/2/10

州

THE QUEENS AWARD

TO INDUSTRY

Grams: LEYMOTORS LONDON W1 TELEX Telex: 22498

LJP/PC

Sir John Cowperthwaite, K. B. E., C. M. G.,

Financial Secretary,

Colonial Secretariat,

Government House,

HONG KONG,

10th April,

1969.

Dear Sir John,

Thank you for your letter dated 20th March, 1969. I must

first apologise for addressing you incorrectly in my letter of 13th March. Please excuse the lapse.

I am very pleased to receive news that the Kowloon Motor Bus Company has not made any application for exemption from the clause restricting them to buy buses of British or Commonwealth make.

I quite understand that you and the Governor (who also kindly wrote to me on the 28th March) must consider the question of bus purchases in the light of the best interests of the people of Hong Kong. But it is surely true also that the interests of the people of Hong Kong are bound up with the maintenance of the British connexion, of which British buses in the streets are a visible sign; and that it is natural and essential that this connexion should bring advantages to both sides.

As you are aware, British Leyland are the largest manufac- turers of heavy duty buses in the world, and are also the largest exporters. Given our long experience in supplying the Colony's needs, I am therefore in no doubt that we have available the best buses for use in Hong Kong.

./.