CO129-551-9 Acquisition of land for Air Ministry at Kai Tak 17-2-1936 - 9-1-1937 — Page 83

S.33302 (F.5)

SECRET

SEIVED

AIR MINISTRY,

ADASTRAL HOUSE,

KINGSWAY, W.C.2.

4 August,*1936.

83

Dear Gent

- 5 AUG1936

COREGY

I am sorry t we have not yet managed to reply finally to your letters under reference 53514/1/36 regarding the extension of Kai Tak aerodrome and the conditions of land acquisition for R.A.F. purposes at Hong Kong generally.

As I explained in my letter of the 24th March, 1936, we hoped before we replied to have a complete picture of our requirements at Hong Kong, following the policy covered by White Paper Cd.5107 of the 3rd March, 1936. Tentative proposals are now under consideration and accord- ingly we have a formal reply to you in train, dealing generally with the matter under discussion.

We shall take the line that while, subject to Treasury sanction as necessary, we are prepared to pay half the cost of the extension of Kai Tak and to pay the cost of resuming the land we require elsewhere in connection with the expansion of our activities at Hong Kong, we cannot agree with the contention that we should pay Crown rent, either annual or compounded, nor, of course, is there any prospect that we could get authority to pay interest on the basis suggested in the Hong Kong Government's letter of the 21st May, 1936, a copy of which was enclosed with your letter of the 6th July, 1936.

Yours sincerely,

G.E.J.Gent, Esq.

Colonial Office,

S.W.1.

ド

C.C. Came on

Ceam.