CO129-546-11 Kowloon city- expropriation of Chinese owned land 9-1-1934 - 28-12-1934 — Page 76

Copy to 2.0. 21

Tel. No.-Whitehall 9400.

Any further communication on this subject should be addressed to:-

The Under-Secretary of State,

The War Office,

London, S. W.1,

and the following number quoted.

083/5913.(M.0.2).

Sir,

NOTIN FOR DIS

SCHEM

se

SECRET

THE WAR OFFICE,

16the

76

14

LONDON, S.W.1.

16 May, 1934.

I am commanded by the Army Council to ack- nowledge the receipt of Colonial Office letter No.33744/

[11] 1934, dated 30th April, 1934, on the subject of a proposal

by the Government of Hong Kong to expropriate certain Chinese tenants from their properties in KOWLOON City, and in reply to state for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies that they are of the opinion that the exercise of Chinese jurisdiction in KOWLOON City is not consistent with the military requirements for the defence of Hong Kong, as not only is a proportion of the garrison now quartered in KOWLOON, but also the city is adjacent to KAI-TAK which forms the site of the only ex- isting aerodrome. Although the Council understand that there is no likelihood of any new construction being undertaken in the event of Chinese jurisdiction in the City being recognized, yet they desire to point out that once that principle was accepted there would legally be nothing to prevent the erection of tall buildings, power cables on pylons, or other construction which might seriously impair the usefulness of the aerodrome.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

At Widdows

Under Secretary of State,

COLONIAL OFFICE.