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Ref.:
CO 537/1427
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVËS
Ins
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that the airport would plɛy in the future prosperity of HONG KONG and its people,
and emphasised the work that its buildings would offer for both skilled and
unakilled Chinese labour. He denied the wild estimates of land and homes to be
destroyed, and stated that the area to be built on comprised 200 acres and that a
maximum of 1,500 people would have to be displaced. He promised that those
deprived of their fields and houses would be provided with new fields and new
houses; and that the land would be specially levelled for that purpose.
Thus the situation remained for a few weeks: the local inhabitants were
far from placated, though work went ahead, In mil-December the HONG KONG press
reported that the Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs had stated that his
Government had asked the British to give adequate compensation to the villagers
but that no protest had been made regarding the aerodrome project itself.
Distrust, complaints, press coment and petitions continued. The people
were humble, caustic; beseeching, deanding; doubting, threatening; pathetic and
bitter.
Early in January, after the C-in-C's return from CHUNGKING, where his
statement on the PINGSHAN scheme had been wall received, the local English press
reported that the Chinese Government had now protested strongly against the
The C. project on the grounds that it violatei SINO-BRITISH treaties.
C.-in-C., in
reply averred that no such treaties had been violated and that the construction
was merely part of a programe to modernize HONG KONG. He again made it clear
that the dispossessed farmers would be compensated in kind,
A week later kr. T.W. KWOK, Special Commissioner for Foreign Affairs of
KWANGTUNG and KWANGSI in HONGKONG, still upholding the cause of the Chinese,
requested information on constructional progress and the provision of accommoda-
tion for those who were to be evacuated. The Commander-in-Chief's reply, dated
the 5th February, gives the following facts on the present situation.
Work has
so far been concentrated on site works, quarries, standings, parks, access roads
and drainage. A start has been made on the runway. The scheme, as at present
approved, involves the displacing of 474 inhabitants.
Compensation will be made
If the on the principle of replacing land with land and houses with houses.
owner prefers cash or if land is not available than monetary compensation will be
paid. It is hoped that this new housing scheme will afford an opportunity, if
the people are willing, for not only model houses but also model villages, to be
built for them. At the moment the villagers are divided in the selection of
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