CO129-571-16 New Territories 13-4-1938 - 12-12-1938 — Page 3

Foreign Office and will let him know the

outcome.

P.

P. Roger.

26.4.38.

The lease of the New Terr tėries runs for 99

years from 1898. The question of the future of those

Territories was raised tentatively when Sir C.Clementi

was Governor, 1 think, but it was considered pre-

mature to take any action. The retention of the Territories is essential, not only for the defence of Hong Kong, but also because the water supply of the

Colony comes from there. as proposed.

* Glowell

26

See 1 on 30055/27

See 1 on 52723/28/

See enc. to 7 on

82770/31 ✓

Mr. Cowell.

Mr. Calder.

I have been asked to get out the

earlier papers on this matter. The position

of the new territories was raised in 1927, but

the F.0. felt that it was no

not time

ne at waich

any action could usefully be taken.

The stages by which the various

territories of Hong Kong Colony were acquired,

their legal position, and the importance

attached to them are fully set out in a

memorandum prepared by Sir W. Peel in 1931.

The only developments of importance since that

date are that Hong Kong is now even more

dependent upon water supplies from the New

Territories, most of the works since 1931 having

been put up there, and that Kai Tak aerodrome,

which is, of course, of very great importance

to Hong Kong's position as a large and growing

airport