CO129-577-3 Proposed transfer of military barracks to alternative site 30-1-1939 - 14-12-1939 — Page 31

1.06.

MAX CONFIDENTIAL

Sir,

เ

53655

32

- 5 MAY 1939

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG,

25th April, 1939.

Def

file,

2.

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of

your confidential despatch of 3rd March, 1939, on the

subject of the possibility of the removal of the barracks

and other buildings occupied by the infantry battalion

stationed in the central district of Victoria and on

Victoria Peak from their present site to another less

valuable site in Hong Kong away from the centre of the

city. I regret that the matter was not fully explained in my confidential (2) despatch of 30th January, 1939,

and submit the following further details with special reference to the points raised in your despatch.

2.

The ordinary system of dealing with military lands is laid down in circular despatches from your predecessors of 1890 and 1894, from which the following

is an extract:

"With a view of removing any misunderstanding, Her Majesty's Government have thought it desirable to formulate their proposals in

the following terms:

"The free surrender to the Colony of all Colonial military lands and buildings no longer required by Her Majesty's Government on the engagement by the Colony that, in the event of the lands and buildings being required then or in the future for the

вору

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P,

&C.,

&C., &C.