2nd April
Land Investment Co.'s Tentative Plans-Hong Kong Land Investment Company disclosed tentative plans for the erection of an 11-story building. The demolition of the Alexandra Building, Chung Tin Building and Hotel Cecil, to make way for a modern block of shups and offices-as announced at the annual meeting of the Land Investment Company-will not commence until the new Edinburgh House, at the corner of Ice House Street, has been completed at the end of this year.
New Masonic Temple-At an impressive and colourful ceremony the foundation of the new Masonic Temple was laid.
4th April
Landlord & Tenant Position-A request that Government review the Landlord and Tenant position in Hong Kong was advocated in a newspaper editorial.
7th April
War Compensation-The complicated question of War Compensation for damages suffered by the Colony during the Japanese attack and occupation was discussed in a newspaper editorial.
Kong Kong Airport-Air Commodore Harvey (Conserva- tive Member of Parliament) is still pressing for a decision on the siting of the new Hong Kong airport replacing Kai Tak.
11th April
Peak Property-The site of the former Peak Hotel, im- mediately adjacent to the Upper Peak Tram Terminus, com- prising an area of 64,720 sq. ft. and with an annual Crown rental of $2,980.00 put up for auction at the P.W.D., was withdrawn from sale when no one offered anything higher than the upset price of $647,000.00.
Rateable Valuation-The rateable re-valuation for the year 1949-1950 which has just been completed totalled just over $95,000,000 compared with rather under $80,000,000 last year, according to Mr. J. Ring, the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation, at a Press conference held at the P.R.O., Statue Square. A great deal of the increase, he pointed out, was due to new building, reconstruction, alterations and additions. Of the valuations, approximately $80,000,000 was for the island and $35,000,000 for the mainland.
12th April
Plans for New Terminal Building—It was learned from a reliable source that a plan has been submitted to the Depart- ment of Public Works for a two-story terminal building to be erected at the Kai Tak Airport.
26th April
That charges by public of corruption in Government departments and bitter criticism of Government expenditures are the result of secretive methods adopted by Government is the subject of a letter to the editor of the S. C. M. Post. The writer advocates the publishing of a complete list of names of tenderers, the bids submitted and the name of the successful tenderer.
28th April
Opening of St. Paul's College Annex-In the presence of a large and representative gathering of the Colony's teachers, members of the Education Department and other guests, Mr. L. G. Morgan, Acting Director of Education, formally opened 臼 new annex of St. Paul's College, which consists of a domestic science laboratory, a commercial classroom and a covered playground with gymnasium.
Modern Hotel on Nathan Road—In Nathan Road, on the northern corner of the site on which the Oriental Tobacco Factory formerly stood, will shortly be erected a seven-story hotel by Mr. Alberto J. Ho, Hong Kong financier. architect is Mr. A. H. Basto.
1st May
The
Displaced Squatters A scheme to settle displaced squat- ters from the city areas in four reserves, two on the island and two in Kowloon, was revealed to the "Sunday Herald" by Dr. J. H. Fehily, Chairman of the Urban Council.
4th May
Hong Kong Engineering Society- -A successful session during the past year was reported by the President of the Engineering Society of Hong Kong, Mr. S. E. Faber, at the Society's annual general meeting, held in the Jacobean Room of the Hong Kong Hotel. Mr. Faber said the Society had proved itself to be of real value to the engineering profession.
5th May
New Building for Chinese Chamber of Commerce resolution was passed unanimously at a committee meeting of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the effect that the Chamber proceed with the construction of a 12-story build- ing, at a cost of $800,000.00 on the waterfront.
11th May
Town Planning in Hong Kong "I think the time is now ripe for town planning in Hong Kong: any further delay in implementing the recommendations of Sir Patrick Abercrombie would be holding up development in the Colony," said Mr. John W. Dark, town planning expert, in his exclusive Press interview in Hong Kong with the "China Mail".
12th May
New Civil Airport-It was officially announced that Deep Bay had been chosen for the location of a modern civil airport that will replace Kai Tak. The necessity for building an airport capable of handling the growing volume of air traffic Into and out of Hong Kong has long been stressed both here and in Parliament, The official statement points out that new and better villages will have to be constructed to re-house people displaced from the site, and this alone will entail considerable delay in commencing actual building operations.
18th May
Requisitioning-States the editor of the "China Mail": "Government's announcement that private property on both sides of the harbour is being requisitioned to accommodate the increased Hong Kong garrison will not come as much of a shock to the community at large."
22nd May
War Reparations—“If the Hong Kong Government were itself to attempt to meet the claims, it would have to pay out $929,000,000-almost six times the total of this year's record budget-an obvious impossibility." states the "China Mail" editorial on war reparations.
24th May
Re-Development of War Damaged Sites-Some owners of war damaged sites, it was officially stated, have found it difficult to finance the re-development of their sites, and yet there are others who are anxious to find accommodation and are able to put up a reasonable sum for that purpose. In recent months the answer has been found to both of these problems by more than a few by an arrangement being made by the owner of the site that, in consideration of the cost of erecting a tenement house, a lease of the site is given for a period of, for example, five years, at no rent, or at a very low rent, after which time the site and house revert to the lessor.
5th June
H.K. Union Church-On the former site where the old Union Church stood in Kennedy Road next to the Peak tram- line, work is already in hand for the construction of the new Union Church building. There will be an additional building which will have the Church Hall on the ground floor with the upper flat residence for the Minister. The former building was bombed by Japanese planes and on re-occupation of the Colony was just a heap of rubble.
7th June
New Court Room-The newly constructed Third Court of the Supreme Court was used for the first time to-day when the Chief Justice, Sir Leslie Gibson, and the Senior Puisne Judge, Mr. Justice Williams, sat as a Full Court to hear a criminal appeal. The Court, in which the Chief Justice will sit in future, is fully air-conditioned, as are the Judge's Chambers attached to it. Concealed lighting gives both rooms a bright and attractive appearance, and the atmosphere is perceptibly cooler than in the corridors adjoining through which a constant breeze blows.
8th June
Landlords Rebuild on War Damaged Sites-Realising that they will eventually be called on to fulfil their obligations, a number of landlords have begun to rebuild on war-damaged sites and rehabilitate war-damaged property. Houses on new sites are also under construction. Except at Aberdeen, con- struction of residential houses is in progress throughout the Island of Hong Kong. A number of Chinese tenements and European-type detached houses are being built along Island Road, Repulse Bay Road, at North Point, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley and Wanchai.
Buildings Bill The Ordinance to amend the Buildings Ordinance of 1935 had its first reading at the Legislative Council to-day. The object of the bill is to empower the Governor in Council, in cases of unfitness or unsuitability, to order lesser penalty than removal from the list of authorised architects in cases where he considers lesser penalty would be appropriate.
Housing Scheme-Official denial made of any Govern- ment connection with a workers' bungalow housing scheme previously announced by the Sun Yet Construction Co.
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