2.
3
148
Availing myself of the privilege which His Excellency has been pleased to grant me, I beg, most respectfully to Submit my reasons why this case should not be viewed as an ordinary one on "Landlord and tenant." Upon my arrival in this Colony in 1845, I was informed by the then Governor, Sir John Davis, that there was a building in course of erection, which when completed, would be appropriated for the purposes of a Post Office, and that Department would be called upon to pay an annual rent for the same. Accordingly on the 1st January 1846, these Premises were given over to me at a rent of £150, per annum.
This agreement was subsequently confirmed by the home authorities, and has continued to exist up to the present time. Upon my return to Hong Kong from leave of absence last year, I observed indications of decay in several of the principal timbers of the Building, and lost no moment in bringing the matter under the notice of Mr. Cleverly, the Surveyor General, who upon the last occasion, made an inspection of the Building, and admitted the necessity of a general overhaul and repair.
A typhoon occurred on the night of the 13th September last, and the following morning, having observed several cracks in the ceiling of the room which subsequently fell in, I immediately sent to the Surveyor General; he came with his overseer the same day, inspected these several cracks, and promised to have the matter immediately attended to.
No further steps however were taken, and at about 4 P.M. on Sunday the 16th September, the defective portion of the Building gave way, destroying almost every article contained in the room.