REQUISITIONING IN HONGKONG
When the Quartering Authority started to requisition private property in Hong Kong for the accommodation of the Services, there was widespread alarm amongst property owners. There was a great deal of construction activity going Go at the time for, although the cost of construction was high, the demand by prospective tenants was SO well sustained that it was possible to anticipate a rental return for the first few years sufficiently high to compensate somewhat for high cost of building and justify the risks involved.
Once, however, the possibility arose that a building on completion would be requisitioned for an indefinite period, the picture changed entirely. It meant that the owner who was unfortunate enough to have his property requisitioned would have his capital investment tied up without hope of immediate return; and, since no rates of compensation had been fixed, what he could eventually expect to receive was probably the lowest possible rental and certainly not sufficient to allow a margin to be applied against future depreciation in income return.
Furthermore, since it cannot be expected that the present degree of prosperity enjoyed by the Colony will be maintained indefinitely, there was always the risk that the property would be de-requisitioned and dumped on his hands during a period when tenants were hard to get and rents reduced to a very low level.
It is true that this might be pessimistic reasoning, but, as long as the Requisitioning Autnority acted without first making clear the economical and financial conditions, the prospective builder was compelled to consider the situation from the worst possible point of view.
Under the circumstances, therefore, it was not to be wondered at that an appreciable proportion of prospective work was held in abeyance pending clarification of the situation.
We interviewed the Quartering Authority on this question a short time ago and pointed out to him the adverse effect of requisitioning on the development of new construction work in the Colony. In reply, he stated that while he could give no official assurance to that effect it was extremely unlikely that any further private property would be required for the accommodation of the Services. He also pointed out that building work for Services requirements had been expedited and that he had no doubt that the position would very shortly be reached where the progress of construction would enable de-requisitioning to be started. It was only the very unlikely deterioration in the political situation which might create a contingency calling for rapid augmentation of the existing establishment that this programme would be upset.
The following is a list of total properties requisitioned for the Services from 1st May, 1949, and still held under requisi- tion on 28th February, 1950. As will be seen from this list, the number of properties so held is really small, most of them being houses and land in the New Territories. If, as can be reasonably expected, no further requisitioning is likely to take place, the percentage of requisitioned property is truly a negligible one and its adverse effect on property values can be entirely discounted.
HOUSES IN URBAN AREAS
535 The Peak (Bowen Hill). 536 The Peak (Bowen Hill). 539 The Peak (Bowen Hill). 28 Grampian Road, Kowloon.
FLATS IN URBAN AREAS
50 & 52 Cameron Road, Kowloon (8 flats).
R.B.L. 67 & 68, Magazine Gap (9 flats).
128 & 130 Tai Po Road, Kowloon (6 fiats & 1 garage).
74 & 76 Kimberley Road, Kowloon (5 flats & 2 garages).
46 Grampian Road, Kowloon (4 flats).
73 Kimberley Road, Kowloon (4 flats).
107 & 109 Austin Road, Kowloon (6 flats)-Navy.
29 Macdonnell Road (9 Rats).
1 & 3 Kennedy Road (6 flats)-R.A.F.
Corner of Nathan & Prince Edward Roads (12 flats).
N.K.L.L. 167 & 168, near Kai Tak (8 flats)-R.A.F.
LAND IN URBAN AREAS
Land at Plantation Road (R.B.L. 530).
Land at Leven Road, Kowloon.
Land at Lai Chi Kok (Part of N.K.I.L. 190).
Ruin at the Top of Tai Po Road on N.K.IL, 344.
FACTORIES AND LARGE BUILDINGS
Telephone Co. Building, Nathan Road.
Kwok Kwong Factory, Ha Heung Road.
South China Iron Works, Tsun Wan (D.D. 355, 359 & 432). China Light & Power Co's New Godown at Tai Wan.
2 Godowns at North Point Wharves.
Godown at 734 King's Road.
New Hotel Building, Middle Road.
Bible Auditorium, Chatham Road.
Factory Building in D.D. 449, Tsun Wan.
SCHOOLS
La Salle College, Kowloon.
HOSPITALS
Matilda Hospital, Mount Kellett.
HOUSES IN NEW TERRITORIES
Hong Lok Yuen, Tai Po (D.D. 7). Cafeteria, Castle Peak (D.D. 376). White House, Sheung Shui (D.D. 95).
Houses Nos. 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 & 16 at Taan Kwai
Tsuen (D.D. 124).
Fong Yuen, Castle Peak (D.D. 131).
House on Lot No. 2231 in D.D. 92 (near Fan Ling).
Ho Lo House, Yuen Long (D.D. 124).
Lee Yuen, Castle Peak (D.D. 130).
House on Lots 371-8 in D.D. 177, near Sha Tin. Ruins of House in D.D. 177, near Shatin.
Two damaged houses at Fan Gardens, Fanling (D.D. 51). Tien Ping Shan, Sheung Shui (Sheung Shui IL. No. 7). Ting Yuen, Ping Shan (D.D. 124),
House on Lots 381-4 in D.D. 177, near Sha Tin. House on Lot No. 4519 in D.D. 51, Fan Gardens. Greenville Amusement Park, Tai Po (D.D. 5). House on Lot No. 4433B in D.D. 51, On Lok Tsuen. Annandale, Fanling (Sheung Shui I.L. No. 2). Dodwell's Bungalow, Fanling (Sheung Shui IL. No. 3). B. & S. Bungalow, Fanling (Sheung Shui L.L. No. 4). 5 Ruins of Houses in D.D. 224, Lots Nos. 282 & 281, 280 &
289, 272 & 273, 266 & 267, 268 & 269 (Hang Hau). Golf Club Bungalow, Fanling (D.D. 91).
House on Lots 736 & 927C in D.D. 92, near Fan Ling. Sui Pak Gardens, Fanling (D.D. 51).
House & Land in D.D. 91, Lots 3564-5 & 3574-5. Fan Ling
Area.
Pak Yuen near Ping Shan (D.D. 124). Lan Yuen near Ping Shan (D.D. 122).
House on Lot No. 23 in D.D. 127 and Lots, 2-5, 12-25, 27,
28, 33 & 34 in D.D. 127 (R.A.F.).
Stratford House, Tai Po (D.D. 32).
5 Houses at Tsun Wan (T.W.IL, 20)—(R.A.F.).
LAND IN NEW TERRITORIES
Vacant Sites Nos. 1, 7, 9 and Central Driveway at Taan
Kwai Tsuen (D.D. 124).
About 2 acres of Vacant Land at Taan Kwai Tsuen (D.D.
124).
0.92 acres of Vacant Land at On Loh Tsuen (D.D. 51,
Lots Nos. 4433/71-74).
0.33 acres of Vacant Land near Fanling Crossroads
(D.D. 51).
1 acre of Vacant Land at Sha Tin (D.D. 183, Lots Nos.
440B, 440C, 440C 1-4),
5.13 acres of Vacant Land near Yuen Long (D.D. 130, part
of Lot No. 2527).
3.76 acres of Land at Sha Tin (various lots in D.D. 183). 22 acres of uncultivated land (various lots in D.D. 102). 1.38 acres of uncultivated land at On Lok Tsuẹn, D.D. 51,
Lots Nos. 4433/9-12, 4433 48-49.
1.5 acres of Grassland at Kwanti (D.D. 83). 0.26 acres of uncultivated land near Mai Po (Lots 1764 &
1765 in D.D. 105).
1.8 acres of agricultural Land at Fan Gardens (D.D. 51,
Lots Nos. 1940-41, 1960-65, 1967, 1968).
Small area of Waste Land near 181 milestone (D.D. 376).
NOTE: Requisitioning is for the Army unless otherwise stated.
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