inclined to think that the local Government had sometimes taken
credit for transferred land at rather high v alues, they were
satisfied that the latest War Office transactions had fairly
squared the account.
Whilst, however, the War Office could not deny that the
1901 arrangement had been accepted in full discharge of the Colonye
future liabilities and that the War Office had on occasion held
the Colony to its obligations under that arrangement when the
exclusion of substantial items from assessable revenue had been
proposed, yet the strict letter of the Agreement had often been
waived by both parties and the local Government had not held out
for its full rights in connection with the provision of land for
the new Army barracks. It need not, therefore, be assumed that
the local Government would necessarily feel bound to take its
stand on the 1901 Agreement and refuse any concession to the R.A.F.
Mr. Clough expressed the hope that nothing would be done
which might endanger the recent War Office Agreement which had
involved very delicate negotiations and was regarded as favourable
to the War Office.
no
If it
Mr. Gent thought that it was clear that, as a matter of strict obligation, claim could be made on the Colony. were to be a matter of asking for voluntary cooperation and i
concession, it was desirable to consider, before deciding whether
and how to approach the local Government, what form of concession
might be asked for.
Mr. Caines said that the Air Ministry raised no objection to repaying actual out-of-pocket expenditure including "resumptions but felt it inequitable that they should not be entitled after paying 25 years' purchase of the Crown rent (which should secure
them the freehold ownership or its equivalent in the form of a perpetual lease) to realise the value of the land if vacated before
the end of the term. Moreover, in cases where it was necessary in connection with anti-malarial measures, to acquire and sterilise
3
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