Foreign Office
Off
Mia
2.
Dollars (about $225 Sterling).
the time
As such Sales of land were at very frequent in the Island. Sir Henry Pollinger had previous to his departure for the North, by a public Notification of date May 27th 1842 - published in the Hong Kong Gazette - authorized the Land Officer to register Such Sales in his Books, declaring that no transfer would be recognised as valid by the Government, lest such registry should be made. We therefore required Mo Shuck to have the land transferred to our names in the Books of the Land Office. and we also took the precaution (although from the terms of the above mentioned Notification it was not necessary, for us to do so) to have the sanction to the transaction of A R Johnston Esq., then in charge of the Government; who, application being made to him to this effect, authorized the transfer in writing.
Official Letter of which the following is Copy:
Government House, Hong Kong
1st October, 1842
Sir,
"As it appears by your Statement that Captain Meik made every effort to erect Buildings on the lots alluded to in your letter to me of the 27th September, and as the partially raised walls of Buildings on those lots likewise shews the same, I have desired the Land and Road Inspector to register the Sale of these lots in his Books on application being made to him to that effect by you, and on your showing him authority from Captain Mack to dispose of them.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant
(signed) A R Johnston
To The Revd
J. Lewis Shuck
Deputy Superintendents charged with the Government of Hong Kong.