CO129-478 - Public Offices & Others - 1922 — Page 223

SECRET

Hong Kong

Proposed surrender of certain Military Lands in Victoria and Kowloon,

220

A

From the

General Officer Commanding the Forces in China.

To the

Secretary,

War Office, London, S.W.1.

Sir,

Head Quarters, Hong Kong

18th May, 1922..

losuree ! -

pation

hedule.

In of

toria

tonment.

in of

tfield

P.

In of

jewood.

bies of

ters of

lonial Gost.

bed 26.4.22 4.5.22.

Laplace

·

With reference to Var Office Letter Hong Kong 8/311 (M.0.1.B.) dated 25th January 1922, I have the honour to report that, after considerable local discussion, the Colonial Government has formulated the following proposals in their letters of the 28th April and 4th May 1922 and of which I enclose copies. In the above letters the following are the main proposals :-

(1) The procedure generally to be governed by Colonial Office Circular Despatches of 9th June 1890 and 30th December 1894.

(2) The amount to be credited to the War Department in respect of land handed over to Colonial Government to be calculated in accordance with the schedule forwarded herewith. The price of the land to include any buildings standing on it. The prices shown on the schedule to be final, and not to be affected by ary subsequent sale by the Colonial Government.

The

(3) A special Surrender Account to be opened in which all these transactions would be recorded. existing Military Lands Account to be held in suspense, so far as this particular scheme is concerned, until the latter is finally wound up, when the balance due to or by the War Department would be entered in the former.

(4) Fundo for the provision of lands and buildings in replacement of those surrendered, or for additional build- inge, if required, to be provided by the Colonial Government "up to the full amount of the credit standing to the War

The work to be carried Department in the surrender Account,

but by the Colonial Government to War Department require- ments, and the War Department to be debited in the surrender Account with the actual cost which includes a reasonable percentage for overhead charges.

(B) The sum of 114317-18-0 due from the Treasury to the Colonial Government on account of overpayment of Military Contribution to be the first entry in the Surrender Account to the debit of the War Department.

(s) The Pinewood area to be handed over at once to the Colonial Government at the same price as was charged to the War Department; when this property was acquired in 1905, viz, 11.059 cents per square foot.

/II.