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CO 537/1427
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was?
est
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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
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restrictions Further information is given in the enclosed 'Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet. Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
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Ins
Since sending (27) I have spoken to
Ratcliffe Cousins, who has informed me that the M.C.A. have not yet received the report of the joint A.M./M.C.A. Mission to Hong Kong. I subsequently
Foord- Kelsey spoke to Group Capt. Ford Derby, who is McArthur's
Pe furthem intheright chronoloquial
order
successor at the Air Ministry, and he promised to send me what he called the "Preliminary Report" written by Air Commodore Darley, on which the signal at (28) was sent.
During the course of my conversation with Ratcliffe Cousins I elicited the fact that the Ministry of Civil Aviation are not initially too keen on the construction of an international airport in Hong Kong, largely owing to the factor of cost, which they have to consider in relation to the many other costly projects which they have under consideration at the moment. I do not think, therefore, that there is much that we can say to Hong Kong further to (28) until we have had an opportunity to see what exactly the report has said and until we have had an opportunity of discussing the matter with the M.C.A.
quile.
4.4.46.
I have now placed on this file the reply from the M.C.A. to (27), a copy of Mr. Bigg's letter to Mr. Cribbett registered on 54145/14, and (23), (29) and (30) from the same papers.
We now need to consider the question raised in the telegram from Hong Kong about the rehabilitation
of the civil airport at Kai Tak. Whether or not the Deep Bay project is proceeded with, it is now necessary to proceed with the rehabilitation of Kai Tak which, despite its shortcomings, which are considerable and which are mentioned in the M introduction to the enclosure to the M.C.A. letter at (29), is the only useable airport and as such has to be prepared for the reception of air services. In this connection, the extension of the B.O.A.C. service to Hong Kong with flying boats, which is at the moment under investigation by a M.C.A. Mission, will depend to some extent on the repairs done to the marine terminal building and on the fitting of such incidentals as electric cables.
I would propose that we address the
Treasury, explaining the situation as it now is and asking for Treasury authority for this expenditure as proposed by the C.-in-C.
Rude.
29 disfield mission's prekamary report 30 civil affairs & QT.0. Wendl.
31
ami A842908/46/5.9(0)
7.5.46.
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2662106· 1/3/46 6/4/46.
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