CO129-573-9 Kowloon Golf Club- alternative site 20-6-1938 - 28-10-1938 — Page 13

3.

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6.

It is the case that the proposals detailed

in my previous despatch would bring about an amicable settlement of a vexatious dispute between the Military

Authorities and the Kowloon Golf Club, into which this

Government has inevitably been drawn. The club has no

legal claim, of course; but I am not without sympathy

for it in its plight. For example, admittedly the pavilion which cost approximately $12,000 and has now to be abandoned

was built at their own risk and in full knowledge of the

extreme insecurity of their tenure: on the other hand there

is no reason to think that they were aware when they spent

the money that an enlargement of the military garrison

was being planned on a scale which would necessitate the

whole time use of the range and the consequent disuse of

the golf course.

7.

But I do not advocate the new scheme

altogether or even principally on that ground. My reasons

are firstly that it is very desirable for the sake of a

not inconsiderable section of the community that the

Kowloon Golf Club should be able to continue its existence,

not least because it is the only golf club in the Colony

which admits Chinese members: and secondly because the

proposition is financially sound in itself. In effect,

the Government would be investing not more than $50,000

in land, which would bring in a net return of $2,000 per

annum. This would be an adequate rent for the premises

and, incidentally, would be more than is paid by the Royal

Hong Kong Golf Club for a very much larger area at Fanling.

The latter was given favourable terms in view of the

prospective benefit not only to railway receipts but also

to the general development of the neighbourhood, both of

which have justified such a policy. The site under

discussion