CO129-514-1 Development of Kai Tak Aerodrome 6-12-1928 - 7-1-1930 — Page 88

EL. NO. HOLBORN 3434.

Any communications on the subject of this letter should be addressed to :-

THE SECRETARY,

AIR MINISTRY,

ADASTRAL HOUSE,

KINGSWAY,

LONDON, W.C.2.

and the following number quoted :-

S.23467/S.6.

NATIONAL

FOR DIS

SCHEM

CREDIT-

DISABLED

MEN

SECRET.

62755

AIR MINISTRY,

LONDON, W.C

4

February, 1929.

86

33 on

sir,

52753/28

2

Crish

A.M.

53534/25

Ansel

I am commanded by the Air Council to refer to

Colonial office letters of the 21st December, 52753/28,

sninl

the 15th January, 62753/29, transmitting copies of despatches

from the Officer Administering the Government of Hong Kong

regarding Mr. Dawson's report on the site of the aerodrome

at Kai Tak.

The Air Council note that Mr. Southorn states that

the Colony propose to accept the recommendations contained

in Mr. Dawson's report, but suggests that the amount of the

Imperial contribution towards the cost of the construction

of the aerodrome should be reconsidered. They feel, however

that this suggestion has been put forward without a full

realisation of the circumstances in which the contribution

of £100,000 from Imperial funds was agreed to.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies will recollect

that the question of the reservation of the site at Kai Tak

was first raised by this Department in Air Ministry letter

of the 28th November 1925, S.24154/S.6. in which reference

was made to the reports of the Chiefs of Staff Committee

(C.I.D. papers 248-C and 617-B), and the suggestion was made

that the local Government should be invited to consider the

question of reserving the site and should be asked whether

they would be willing to bear the cost of obtaining the

reservation.

This letter made it clear that there was then no

question of the permanent location of an Air Base at Hong

Kong and that so far as the Royal Air Force were concerned the

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office,

S.W.1.