Regesin Adun please on parayl
& return pletome rej papres 2-5 le
1/3
Sele returned at
request of Hong Kong Dept
(28t
Mr. Carville aryžile
Reference........
MUA 10/393/1
HKK 5/13
IN
RECEIVES ARCHIVES No. 3
MUA 10/393/1
2
As I told you on the 'phone, we are now returning your Kai-Tak files with apologies for the length of time for which we have kept them. There are a great many loose papers which your Registry will want to file. I am afraid that before long we shall have to borrow files again because further action is impending as a result of Mr. Carter's letter of 11th March to Mr. Steel and the liklihood that Ministers will soon be considering this question.
2. Among the loose papers is one which was Teceived in your Department earlier this month, Hong Kong Saving Despatch no. 197 in which they apply to the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund for a grant of £235,200 towards the expansion of their aeronautical telecommunications capability at Kai-Tak airport: I have only just seen this.
3.
As told you, it seems to me that this application may duplicate an element in the larger request for a loan which has been under consideration all this time. I should be grateful if you would confirm this by reference to the previous papers. But insofar as a sum of £660,000 is included against the improvement of the ATC system at Kai-Tak in the major request, I am fairly sure of what I say.
4.
If we discover that this is a duplication then presumably we shall have to send an interim reply to Saving Despatch no. 197 to the effect that the request for CD and W assistance wote have to be held over until the loan request is decided. We may also have to mention a matter which is being handled in Financial Policy and Aid Department of future aid to the dependent territories. Effectivel the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts expire in 1970 and future aid will be given under the Overseas Aid Act. It may be that even if the major loan application falls away and this minor application to CD and W remains, Hong Kong will have to provide information in a different form from that she has used in her recent despatch.
5. I am copying this minute to Miss Durbin, F.P.A.D
Max
(H.H. Stewart ) · 12th March, 1969.