6
CONFIDENTIAL
SAVING DESPATCH
HKK 18/21
From the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
To the Governor, HONG KONG
18 April, 1969
No. 160
Your telegram no. 209 of 7 March.
PETITION FROM HEUNG YEE KUK
Enclosed is a copy of the translation of the petition
which we have received.
2.
We would be most grateful for your recommendations on the form of a reply.
REF.
RAF
Pl. BU. in Bweeks
B.U. Furthe two weeks
D23
9/5
18/4
Page
age 9
with
MS Mar 2015.
Mu Maron ds.
(૨. Mr. Campana, 271. ANG 0.3.
любя
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does not appear to be a
$ !$
However
it
That
we.
it-
is
addrened to Mr. Royle!
word for
have the Giovernor's
petition has been handed in'
Through him.
We
can await its
recept with the
/noted.
Repy, nozes. D.
As in
para
Governor's comments.
4.5. Carter 1973/69
2 above.
I think we
we have a
B.U. in hand for this. If net BV. in 2 weeks
пле
Rery much Te. Bu. 10/4
3/+
Page
age 9
To:
Translation of a Memorandum on the promotion of industries
and improvement of the standard of living of the people in the New Territories in the Colony of Hong Kong submitted to Mr. Anthony Royle
by Mr. CHAN Yat-san, M.B.E., J.P.,
Chairman of the New Territories Heung Yee Kuk.
Mr. Anthony Royle, M.P.
5
The total area of Hong Kong is some 400 sq. miles over 91% of which is in the New Territories which has one-fifth of the total population of 4 million.
While commerce and industry on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon flourish, buildings in this part of the Colony become higher and higher due to limitation of space. By levelling hills and reclamation from the sea, more land has been created. Hong Kong Island and Kowloon are over-populated. This is the result of the Hong Kong Government's over concentration on the develop- ment of urban areas.
The New Territories are of an agricultural setting and farmers are in no small number. At present, they are running into bankruptcy and suffering economic setbacks, and it is not uncommon to see farm land abandoned. The reason is that their produce, without any protective measures by Government cannot compete with those imported from other countries which are sold at an extremely low price. What is more Government is building a system of catch- ments and tunnels in various parts of the New Territories to channel irrigation water to reservoirs for industrial use as well as for domestic consumption in urban areas. Consequently, under- ground water decreases and this affects farming. The people therefore wish to convert their land for residential, commercial or industrial purposes, but they are restricted by Government's land policy. Unlike that of the United Kingdom, people here do not have any legal rights to appeal to the authority at all.
In the absence of a fixed rate, people have to pay higher and higher conversion premia if they intend to use their private land in satellite towns for purposes other than farming, and this is iniquitous. Resumption of private land by Government is not dealt with in accordance with the "Land Resumption Act" of the United Kingdom. Although arbitration borads have been set up, they cannot be too helpful owing to the restriction of the ordinance. The Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance, Cap. 124, does not take into consideration the possible future benefits of the farm land. Thus, compensations people receive for the land resumed is often meagre, and this can be substantiated by facts. Under the Sino-British Treaty, the lease of the New Territories has only 28 more years to run. People all have the same opinion that the development of the New Territories is lagging far behind and that because the lease is soon running out they hoped that development could be speeded up. However, they cannot have what they expect from the Hong Kong Government which only pays attention to urban areas. Some of the rural areas are to be developed, but it is only because Government has to cope with the influx of residents of urban areas into the New Territories.
At present, Government/.
•