CO129-497 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 413

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To provide for such a contingency, it is essential

that an aerodrome, with facilities for seaplanes as well

The Kai Tak as for landplanes, should be available.

reclamation area on the Kowloon peninsula is not only the

best site, but practically the only suitable site, and if it

were built over the potential use of aircraft for defence

in the future would be seriously restricted. In addition

the present time appears to be favourable for purchase, and delay in acquisition now might result in heavier expenditure

at a later date.

There appears to be no possible reason from the

Treaty aspect against the acquisition of this aerodrome site.

A levelled area of ground cannot be interpreted as an

increase in coast defences. It is only when buildings

are erected and aircraft actually located on the aerodrome

that the question of legality appears to arise.

The Sub-Committee is therefore of the opinion that

the Kai Tak site should be acquired at an early date, and

recommends that the Governor of Hong Kong should be given

authority to proceed with the necessary purchase.

4.

With regard to (b), i.c. the formation of a local

police air unit at Hong Kong, it is considered that the proposals put forward will require considerable investigation, and that the question soula more appropriately be dealt with by the Local Forces Sub-Committee of the Oversea Defence

Committee.

There does not appear to be any particular urgency for the formation of this unit, and the Sub-Committee therefore recomiends that the overnor be informed that the

matter is being further investigated.

3.