CO129-598-1 Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Project 19-12-1945 - 23-6-1948 — Page 58

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خصم

To:

23

The Secretary of State for the Colonies

From: The Governor, Hong Kong

Date: 11th September 1946

No:

/63 (1100/45)

SAVING TELEGRAM

RECEIVED

26 SEP 1946

C. O. REGY

(Curd, (23.)

13.

58

/53687/46. 18

In your telegram No. 674 of the 12th August you suggested the possibility of a Colonial Development and Welfare grant to cover the cost of preliminary investigation of Tai Lam Ching Water Scheme. But in your telegram No. 740 of the 24th August you stated that the necessary expenditure had been authorised by Treasury from Hong Kong funds and that it would be precluded from consideration for a Colonial Development grant presumably because it included some rehabilitation expenditure.

2.

In actual fact only £2,700 for the replacement of boring plant can really be regarded as rehabilitation expenditure and it seems to me that it is rather inequitable that the whole expenditure should have to be met from Hong Kong funds when, but for this, a Colonial Development and Welfare grant would apparently have been forthcoming.

3.

In addition to the £2,300 to cover expenses of visit of Geophysicist and Driller there will be various incidental expenses in respect of transport, hotel expenses and possibly a cost of living allowance. Purchase and erection of two huts to provide accommodation on site is estimated to cost £450 and expenditure will also be necessary on local labour. Moreover in practice it may prove necessary to retain this investigating staff for longer period than is envisaged in the estimate submitted by their firm.

4.

In the circumstances I should be grateful if you would consider possibility of only the sum of £2,700 for the replacement of the boring plant being met from Hong Kong funds and for an application for a Colonial Development and Welfare grant of say £5,000 being made to cover the balance of the expenses of the preliminary investigation. It would be convenient if I could be informed when the boring plant may be expected so that I may know the approximate date by which, the camp will be required. Obviously the investigating team should not arrive in advance of the machinery.