CO129-613-1 Seminary of Dominican Fathers- Rosary Hill 7-4-1948 - 11-10-1949 — Page 26

Secretariat File:22/4901/49

SAVINGRAM

To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

From the Governor, Hong Kong.

Date 30th July 2249.

No.

604.

Colonies wd (34)

Ansia

10

(25)

Referred

in

Reference your telegram No. 961

-

Rosary Hill.

25 28.

10

53533149

2.

·

The requisitioning of this building was contemplated in order to meet urgent army requirements for 600 bed hospital pending construction of new military hospital in Kowloon. The Catholic authorities protested strongly; suggestions were made to assist them in obtaining temporary alternative accommodation for those now living at Rosary Hill who numbered about 200. Eventually it was decided not to proceed with requisitioning of Rosary Hill (especially as temporary alternative accommodation could not be provided in time in any event) because considerable additional accommodation would have had to be con- structed to meet Army requirements.

30

It has been necessary in consequence to requisition the buildings of La Salle College in Kowloon, This was done with the greatest reluctance since this school has 900 pupils, but I have undertaken to provide hut accommodation on a suitable site in Kowloon so that the school can continue to function. This will cost the Government about 1 million dollars, but there will be same recovery since the school authorities will be required to pay rent having regard to the fact that they will receive rent for their own buildings from the Army. To provide accommodation for 100 boarders and staff I have offered a block of 16 new Government flats nearing completion, even though those are most urgently required for housing Government officials.

40

You will observe from the note of the Vatican Secretariat

I of State that some of the occupants of Rosary Hill are refugees. suggest that in replying to the Vatican it would be well to make the point that the policy here is not to permit refugees to stay in Hong Kong, which, as you know, is already grossly overcrowded, and while I appreciate the particular difficulties in sending Chinese priests elsewhere I trust that the Catholic authorities will do all in their power not to keep refugees from China in Hong Kong.

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