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continue. The requirements of the
Royal Air Force have, however, raised
new questions, and it is inevitable, in
the circumstances of Hong Kong, that
suitable sites for aerodromes are, by their
very nature, the most difficult to find, and
in any central district the most valuable.
Nevertheless, I do not doubt that it will
be agreed, not only by yourself but by the
leaders of the unofficial community, that
it is desirable that a Colony, which, like
Hong Kong, is at the same time a most
important fortress, should render all
possible assistance to His Majesty's
Government in the effort to meet the needs
of the new arm of Air defence, and that the
very heavy financial burden borne by His
Majesty's Government in present circumstances
throughout the Empire for this purpose
should be alleviated as far as possible by
any local concessions which the Colonial
Government is able to afford.
3.