TNAG-0190-FCO40-226-Title--Royal--conferred-on-Hong-Kong-police-and-auxiliary-po-1969 — Page 176

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1 January, 1969,

من

I am replying to your letters of 6 and 30 December about the proposal for according the prefix "Royal" to the title of the Hong Kong Police Force and Auxiliary Police Force. I well understand your feeling that it is time we stopped stalling. But I find that no final conclusion has yet been reached in this matter. There were further discussions on the subject with the Governor at the end of October; the latter suggested that the idea should be coupled with a proposal that an approach should be made to a member of the Royal Family to accept the appointment of "Commandant General" of the two Forces in an honorary capacity. There are two main arguments in favour of this course. First the Governor advises that the Chinese members of the Forces, while not entirely understanding the significance of the prefix "Royal", would understand and value the feeling that a member of the Royal Family had a personal interest in them. Secondly, such a course could, if necessary serve as a reason for adopting the préfix "Royal" in the event of an untoward reaction to such a step from the Chinese Government in Peking. The Governor has in fact gone so far as to say that if the second part of his proposal proves to be unacceptable, he would like an opportunity of reconsidering the first part. informal approach is now being made to the Palace on the basis of the Governor's proposals. Meanwhile, you may wish to write to Lieutenant Commander Lynch Maydon on the lines of the attached draft.

An

LAST

REIT

10

P. L. Gregson, Esq.,

10 Downing Street.

REE