CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 826

MINUTES.

MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE.

All further communications on this subject should be addressed to-

The Secretary,

War Office,

London, S.W.1.

and the following number quoted.

Telephone: VICTORIA 9400. Hong Kong 8/355 (M.0.0.F.b.)

*

55147

WAR OFFICE, 824

RED!

LONDON, S.W.I..

RE 15 NOV 23

A

.

14 November, 1923

sir,

Eor

47044

With reference to your letter No. 47044/23 of the 2nd ultimo, forwarding¡copy of a despatch dated 21st. August last from the Governor of Hong Kong relative to the extent of the Colony's liability to reprovide such accommodation as may be surrendered by the War Department in connection with the proposed exchange of lands, I am commanded by the Army Council to say that they are glad to note that the attitude previously taken up by the Colony in this matter has been due to misapprehension. The Council have never contemplated that the Colony should be pressed to accept in connection with this transaction an indefinite responsibility for the reprovision of accommodation for new undertakings or formations not at present provided for.

On the other hand, the Council would like to be clear that when the Colonial Government speak of "the total cost of reprovisioning the present garrison" they are not using the phrase "the present garrison" in the sense of the troops which happen to be at Hong Kong at the moment. What the Army Council require to be reprovided is satisfactory accommodation for the units whose accommodation is to be surrendered including all the usual ancillary services and also additional married quarters in the cases in which a displaced unit is moved to a place where suitable hired accommodation for the families is not available. If, after this accommodation has been provided, there remains any balance between the value of the surrendered property and the cost of its reprovision, then, as explained by War Office letter

/of

The Under Secretary of State, COLONIAL OFFICE,

FEB.

S.F.1.