CO129-546-11 Kowloon city- expropriation of Chinese owned land 9-1-1934 - 28-12-1934 — Page 4

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(ii) Shortly after the signing of the Convention

the British Government decided that it was

"inconsistent with the military requirements of the

defence of Hong Kong" that the Chinese should retain

any jurisdiction within Kowloon City.

(iii) The Chinese Government was informed of

this decision (which did not conflict with the

the original agreement as reflected in the

Convention) by the Foreign Office note of 30th May,

1899 vide paragraph 5 of the Memorandum u/c

7 on 13832/33 and Mr. Gent's Minute of 26.8.33

idem_7, and the decision was made effective by the

Order in Council of the 27th December, 1899, in the

following words:

"And whereas the exercise of jurisdiction by

the Chinese Officials in the City of Kowloon having

been found to be inconsistent with the military

requirements for the defence of Hong Kong it is expedient

that the Chinese Officials within the

City of Kowloon should cease to exercise jurisdiction

therein, and that the said City of Kowloon should

become part and parcel of Her Majesty's Colony of

Hong Kong for all purposes during the continuance of

the term of the lease in the said Convention

mentioned."

(iv)

The Chinese Government at the time did not,

apparently, contest the propriety of the

adopted by Her Majesty's Government, nor has it

apparently been contested until now.

(v) The basis of the present claim of the Chinese

Government is unsound insofar as it ignores the

steps recorded in (ii) (iii) and (iv) above.

? (a)