CO129-551-9 Acquisition of land for Air Ministry at Kai Tak 17-2-1936 - 9-1-1937 — Page 46

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9. In answer to the Governor's

suggestion that the Air Ministry should

contribute before the end of the financial

year a first payment of H.K. $100,000 towards

the cost of the extension, the Air Ministry

replied on the 24th of March, 1936, that they

were still considering the general question

of the terms on which land in Hong Kong

should be made available for R.A.F. purposes

and were reviewing their whole policy in

Hong Kong. They could not, in these

circumstances, pay the suggested contribution

to the Hong Kong Government in that financial

year.

10. It may be suggested that the Hong

Kong Government had proceeded hastily in

beginning work before obtaining an explicit

assurance from the Air Ministry that the

appropriate share of the cost would be

provided. In view, however, of the terms

on which the aerodrome had been constructed

and the unqualified advice of the R.A.F.

authority in the Colony, the Governor can

reasonably