CO129-502-5 Acquisition of Kai Tak for an aerodrome- financial arrangements 23-5-1927 - 27-10-1927 — Page 63

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approving the proposal to charge the Aerodrome and Dredging Expenses to Loan in the first instance, in

view of the imperative necessity for immediate action, expressed very strongly the opinion that the cost of

the Aerodrome should be borne from Imperial Funds and

that in no case should more than one quarter of the

cost fall on the Colony. They also strongly urged

that all revenue required for the provision for payment

of interest and sinking fund in connection with loan

funds utilized for the Aerodrome and dredging works

should be entirely free of Military Contribution, as

the Aerodrome is mainly of imperial importance and

the harbour dredging largely so.

6. The question of the necessity of dredging some portions of the harbour was raised last year by questions asked by the Honourable Mr. Bernard in the Legislative Council Meeting held on the 26th

August, 1926, with reference to the grounding of two

large vessels in the harbour off Kowloon Point, and in

the reply given by the Colonial Secretary it was

stated that the Government proposed to undertake a

further survey of the harbour that year (1926) and

that the matter was being brought before the Finance

Committee.

At the Finance Committee Meeting the

question of dredging the harbour was discussed, and it was decided that an Engineer should be appointed temporarily to undertake a Survey of the harbour bed

to ascertain and report on the need of dredging. This

survey is now being carried out and while a comparison

of the soundings, taken in the years of 1917 and 1926

off Kowloon Point, indicates that there is practically

no