CO129-584-3 War Department- provision of land at Kau-Lung-Tsai 10-9-1940 - 9-10-1940 — Page 6

Tel. No.-Whitehall 9400.

Any further communication on this subject should be addressed to:- The Under-Secretary of State,

The War Office,

London, S.W.1.

and the following number quoted.

119/Abroad/2493 (L.B.)

Sir,

NATIONAL

SP

ا

THE WAR OFFICE,

LONDON, S.W.1.

10th September, 1940.

Y

6

END

21/-139

With reference to previous correspondence ending with your memorandum dated 20th August, No. 53654/39, on the subject of a proposed revision of the arrangements under which the Government of Hong Kong have agreed to provide land for War Department purposes at Kau-Lung-Tsai, I am commanded by the Army Council to state that they are still in communication with the local Military Authorities who, in a letter dated 15th April last reported that a local conference was to be held for the purpose of discussing the question generally.

The General Officer Commanding the British Troops in China proposed accordingly to defer his comments on the correspondence forwarded with your letter dated 21st December last until the result of the conference could be reported for approval. His report is still awaited.

The Council have, however, had under consideration the question of Military policy in the Far East and have come to the conclusion that the arrangements now under discussion should,

if possible, be allowed to remain in abeyance till after the war. In this connection they instruct me to draw attention to War

16/-/¡ Office letter dated 14th December last regarding the continued

occupation of the site at Sham-Shui-Po, on which question your 17/-/ Department reported on the 1st February last that it was in consultation

with the Colonial Government. The War Office proposal on this question remains as indicated in War Office letter dated 14th

16/-/3+/ Ducember, and the Council would be glad to learn that it is accepted.

Ausd ©

bury WX 63

The Council would suggest that any building works which may meanwhile become necessary to accommodate an increase in the existing garrison could be dealt with as a separate matter without prejudice to the eventual settlement of the questions left in abeyance during the war.

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office,

S.W.1.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

Enjamband

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