FO371-23518 — Page 178

Page 178

Page 178

18

CYPHER TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary

of State for the Colonies.

Dated 1st May, 1939.

Received 8.52 a.m. 1st May, 1959.

No.138.

F5217

My despatch Secret of April 7th 1938 and subsequent

correspondence.

Now that His Majesty's Government has announced

intention to introduce conscriptive measure in the United

Kingdom I vonture to urge further consideration of similar

action here for the purpose of local defence. This request

has strongest support of Commander in Chief and General

Officer Commanding and is unanimously approved in Executive

Council. It is essential to the defonce of this particular

fortress that the maximum garrison can be put into the field

in the shortest possible time and this is only possible

through prior allocation and training of all available man

power. Bill sent with despatch under reference has been

revised principal alternatives being Clause 5, members of

both local volunteer forces added to list of exemptions;

Clause 11, operation is limited to service in Hong Kong

Volunteer Defence Corps and no obligation to serve out of the

Colony remains; Clause 16 has been deleted so that action

under Clause 4 and following Clauses may be taken as

circumstances permit.

Your permission is sought for (1) Immediate local

announcement of impending measure (2) Passing of measure as

Boon as necessary arrangements to implement it can be made.

Conceivably it may not be necessary upon enactment

to proceed operatively beyond Clause 5 but that half-measure would remove some of difficulties militating against

recruitment of European British volunteers which is

regrettably behindhand and would enable shadow reserves to bo

Page 178

created.

Page 178

Page 178