TNAG-0422-FCO40-468-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 183

CENFO 04/10

PRIORITY

FOLLOWING FROM HONG KONG DATED 10 JAN

CONFIDENTIAL

CHRISTIAN TELEGRAM 37 OF 10 JANUARY

TO :

F.C.O.

S

Թ.

Mi

nothing

is Goodfellow

here

A

19/5

F.C.O. PLEASE PASS TO D.T.1. FOR WATSON (0.P.G.) FROM ASTON. COPY TO E.C.G.D. (FOR COTTERILL), D.T.1. (CRE/2) AND F.C.0. (H.K.1.0.D. AND E.P.D.)

MASS TRANSIT SCHEME

1. IN VIEW OF SPATE OF CONFLICTING STORIES IN ENGLISH AND

CHINESE PRESS ABOUT TIMING AND CONTENT OF STEERING COMMITTEE

REPORT I ASKED JONES ON 9 JANUARY FOR A SITREP WITH SPECIAL

REFERENCE TO TIMING OF ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH BRITISH

GROUP.

2. HE TOLD ME THAT THE TIMETABLE HAS SLIPPED AGAIN AND

CONSIDERATION BY EXCO IS NOT NOW LIKELY BEFORE END OF JANUARY

OR EARLY FEBRUARY. HE DOES NOT ENVISAGE ANY NEED TO ASK FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO HAVE FURTHER TALKS UNTIL AFTER THAT.

3.

REASON IS THAT WRITING OF REPORT IS PROVING MORE

COMPLICATED THAN ENVISAGED. ALTHOUGH A SPECIAL SMALL CORPS HAS BEEN CREATED TO DEAL WITH IT, AND RECENTLY AUGMENTED BY THE ASSISTANT TRANSPORT COMMISSIONER (BUTLER) IT IS HEAVY

GOING. APPARENTLY DRAFTS COMING FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE

NOT SATISFACTORY AND MUCH REDRAFTING IS HAVING TO BE DONE,

ULTIMATELY BY JONES HIMSELF AMONG HIS OTHER, UNRELIEVED,

RESPONSIBILITIES.

•

14.