CO129-568-5 War Department requirements for land at Kowloon for hospital 9-12-1937 - 3-3-1938 — Page 9

-8-

9

consultation with the Treasury and Land Department, prier to a

full and detailed submission to the Secretary of State. In other

tak words there has certainly been no offer, promise or understanding

on my part by which you or any other authority need feèl

themselves bound. A reference to the Secretariat files on

matters affecting transactions between the Civil Government

and the Fighting Services will afford sufficient evidence of

my particular care to set on written record all promises, offers,

undertakings and heads of agreement or dissent, and that in

such matters I never played a lone hand but acted in close

liaison and consultation with my advisers.

4. As my personal view on this matter now possesses neither

present nor future relevancy there is, I feel, no occasion for

me to enter into explanation or justification. I left the

Government of Hong Kong quite uncommitted and you have an

entirely free hand, I shall be grateful if you would show this

letter to the General Officer Commanding in order to avoid all

possibility of misunderstanding. A copy is being sent, as

desired by you, to the Secretary of State.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your Excellency's most obedient servant,

GOVERNOR.

Pag

Pag

f

حي

No. SECRET (2)

Copies to: Sir A. Caldecott.

The General Officer Commanding.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

9th December, 1937.

Copy

& fenell. to W.O

(4)

sir,

I have the honour to address you on a

question which has arisen in connection with the

proposed acquisition by the War Department of an area of ground in Kowloon for the purpose of erecting a military hospital and to request that I may be favoured with your instructions in this

matter.

#

2.

The facts are as follows:-

The question of the acquisition of a site on the mainland for this purpose was first raised by the General Officer Commanding the British Troops in China in a letter to Sir Andrew Caldecott dated 21st August, 1936. After considerable discussion, in the course of which joint visits of inspection were made by Sir Andrew Caldecott and the General Officer Commanding, a suitable site was agreed upon in April, 1937, and was duly reserved for the War Department.

3. The matter rested at this stage until July of this year when, in connection with the transfer of an area of land on the island, also intended for hospital purposes, the General Officer Commanding

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

W.G.A. ORMSBY-GORE, P.C., M.P.,

&C.,

&C.,

&C.

10

10

10Page 11