G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL #B 機密
Ref.: MT:4419:C IV
Annex
The Land "Problem" in the New Territories
Historical Background
The New Territories were leased to Great
Britain by a Convention signed at Peking on 9th June 1893.
This Convention states that the extension of Hong Kong was
"necessary for the proper defence and protection of the
Colony, and provides among other things that:
2.
"there will be no expropriation or expulsion of
the inhabitants of the district included within
the extension, and that if land is required for
public offices, fortifications or the like
official purposes, it shall be bought at a fair
price."
In the period following the Convention,
statements were made locally in Hong Kong promising that
#landed interests would be safeguarded and that "usages
and good customs" would not be interfered with.
3.
In 1900 all land in the New Territories was
declared to be the property of the Crown (New Territories
(Land Court) Ordinance). A survey was then carried out
to find out what land was privately owned, to measure it
and to establish ownership.
Thereafter, in 1905, grants
CONFIDENTIAL
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