TNAG-0349-FCO40-385-Valedictory-despatch-from-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Sir-David-T-1972 — Page 14

Min Kelly May 1 pr.

file.

I fol. see, this on

I cannot comber when we last & despatch printed

but I think from Hong Kong, it was 2 years ago.

до

8.1.77.

Mr Shaw

DISTRIBUTION OF DEY ENDENT TERRITORIES

PRINT TO GOVERNORS

RECEIVED IN

फ

REGISTRY No. 51

1CFEL10/2

HKK 13/6

As you know in the course of 1971 the Heads of the Derendent Territories Departments each wrote to their Governors (each in a slightly different form) asking them to revive the custom of sending periodic

The despatches on the affairs of their territories. Governors were told that the purpose of this was to provide a flow of information about the dependencies to Ministers, others concerned in Whitehall and the Heads of Diplomatic Missions in countries most concerned. The Governors were told their despatches would be printed

2. I delayed my request for these affairs despatches for some months because when I discussed the proposition early in 1971 with Sir Michael Gass and Mr Allan they were very reluctant to receive a formal request for such despatches. However, after careful consideration with others here I sent a letter asking for periodic despatches to my three "Governors" towards the end of

1971.

3.

I was disconcerted when I visited Honiara and

Vila in January of this year to be told by the High Commissioner and by the British Resident Commissioner,

New Hebrides, that neither of them had ever seen a printed despatch from another dependent territory. Where was this Diplomatic Service print we talked about. Both said that they wanted to see examples of what were considered good despatches from other dependencies before they wrote their own first reports.

4. The purpose of this minute is twofold.

5.

I should be grateful if the Heads of the other Dependent Territories Departments to whom this minute is copied, would let me have three copies of the prints of one or two recent despatches from their Governors which they consider to be good examples. I shall send these to each of my Governors.

6.

I should also be grateful if Mr Shaw would see what is happening about the distribution of

/Dependent