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13189/11/40.
TO
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INDEXED
5436
10
505
TELEGRAM
O.A.G.
HONG KONG
2
No. 770.
Sent 14th December, 1940 16.30 hrs.
Your telegram No. 767.
5436/7/0
Please inform Committee that I have received and considered their representations and that I appreciate with all sympathy the disturbance and separation which has been borne by those affected by the evacuation measures. The decision of H.M.0. that a section of the women and children in the Colony should be evacuated as a defence measure was taken after most careful consideration of factors concerning defence of Hong Kong in event of serious deterioration in political situation in Far East. They appreciated sacrifice involved on the part of the families concerned but they had wider vital British interests than any individual interests to consider. The execution of H.M.Q.'s decision was necessarily in the hands of local authorities, and even if it were true that some individuals were so minded as to fail to submit themselves to H.M.G.'s decision in such critical times as these, H.M.G. would fail in their responsibility if they treated such disservice as warranting reversal of policy. Evacuation was confined by H.M.G. to narrowest possible limits and they cannot regard allegation of racial discrimination as justified. In endeavour to relieve Colony of financial burden of evacuation scheme H.M.G. have accepted cost themselves.
I realise that at their distance from the scene of hostilities it is hard for the petitioners entirely to realise not only the sacrifices, but the hourly risks that are being cheerfully accepted day by day by every individual in our cities here, to say nothing of our sailors, airmen and soldiers. These are obviously out of all proportion to the smaller sacrifices complained of by the petitioners, and I am confident that once these facts are put to the British in Hong Kong they will not be behind any other part of the Empire in accepting whatever sacrifices they may be called upon to make for the supreme end in view,
1.B.B 31/12
2
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