TNAG-0307-FCO40-343-Costs-of-extra-services-provided-by-armed-forces-of-UK-in-Ho-1971 — Page 13

SECRET

between Hong Kong and ourselves ending in Jeaffreson's

letter to me of 5 February 1971. In our view the

arguments on each side are pretty evenly balanced

(eg we might be able to make out a good case for

Hong Kong on the grounds that this expenditure on

military border posts arose from the external

threat posed by the possibility of incursions by

militant Red Guards) although in all honesty we

do feel that to draw a distinction between "Highland

Bonnet" and "Spring Clean" rather savours of hair-

splitting. In any event, if you do not regard

the item as a legitimate charge to the Hong Kong

Government we shall have to include it in our

discussions with the Treasury and it will not have

an easy passage.

8.

Additional Allowances for Hong Kong Other Ranks.

The third item is microscopic in size and concerns

an amount of £118 which was spent by the military

authorities on additional allowances for certain

Hong Kong other ranks to cover the extra cost of

food etc when the personnel in question were

detained at their place of duty overnight during

the disturbances.

for the necessary funds to meet this claim was put

to the Hong Kong Finance Committee who disallowed

it on the grounds that the expenditure was not

considered to be a fair charge to public funds (see

Jeaffreson's letter to Gaminara of 12 November 1971).

We understand that an application

/Originally

H

G on this

file

(13) on thin fice

4.

SECRET

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN