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That a Committee consisting of Messrs. Chomley, Helland, Brand, Lapraik, Maclean, and Linstead be formed for the purpose of drawing up a Letter, and presenting the foregoing resolution to His Excellency the Governor, and also watching the interest of the Marine Lot Holders in all maiters connected with the Circular received from the Surveyor General; or that may arise from the same and further that if Legal advice is desirable the Lot Holders bind themselves to pay proportionately the
expense.
The Meeting then adjourned.
(Signed,) FRANCIS CHOMLEY,
Chairman.
Mr. Linstead to the Honorable W. H. Rennie, Esq., Acting for the Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG, 21st September, 1864.
SIR,I have the honor to enclose a Letter from the Committec appointed by the Marine Lot Holders to represent their interest in the matter of the proposed reconstruction of the Praya, with the request that you will kindly lay it before His Excellency the Governor.
Should a personal interview with the Committee be desired they will have much pleasure in waiting upon His Excellency,—I have, &c.
T. G. LINSTEAD, for the Committee.
(Signed,)
The Committee of Marine Lot Holders to His Excellency Sir Hercules G. R. Robinson, Governor, &c., Hongkong.
HONGKONG, 20th September, 1864.
SIR,We have the honor to address Your Excellency on the subject of the Acting Surveyor General's Circular Letter of 15th August last, addressed to the Tenants of Marine Lots between the Harbour Master's Office and the Water Police Wharf.
This Circular commences by stating that the Tenants of the Lots in question have constructed the opposite Sea wall so badly that it is ne- cessary for them to rebuild the whole; and further proposes to extend the Praya 100 feet beyond its present limit: Government granting a lease of the reclaimed Land to the said Tenants, free of premium, in consideration of their undertaking the expense of the Sea wall and filling in; or failing compliance, the work is to be undertaken by Government and the reclaimed ground sold by Auction, a portion of the premiura realized to be awarded the owner of the late Marine Lot-thus made an inland one-as compensation for loss of Sea frontage.
As the line of action thus sketched out is one which seriously affects the interests of the Lot Holders concerned, a Meeting of the recipients of the Circular was called and held on the 13th instant for the purpose of giving due and joint consideration to the subject.
In an appendix to this Letter are given the names of those present, and by a resolution unanimously carried, we, the undersigned, were authorized to act generally on their behalf.
We have therefore to request Your Excellency to consider the views we now put forward as an embodiment of those which were expressed and appeared to be fully concurred in by the Meeting.
In the first place we do not admit the entire justice and accuracy of the remarks contained in the opening paragraph of the Acting Surveyor General's Circular; viz:-that "The Praya wall has been so badly "constructed by the Tenants of the adjoining Marine Lots."
A portion of the wall to the extreme East, has endured, not indeed the full force of a Typhoon, the centres of which rarely enter this Harbour: but fair average gales, for the last seven years, and an adjoining portion extending some distance westward has done the same for the last three or four years; without any sign of injury or weakness being apparent, or raising a doubt of its ability to withstand more severe trials: this we are aware, is not the case with the wall farther westward and in the vicinity of the China Houses and the Water Police Station, a more exposed portion: which has given indubitable evidence of the faulty nature of its construc-
tion.
But we respectfully draw Your Excellency's attention to the fact that the whole of this Sea wall whether good, bad, or indifferent, was entirely constructed under Government superintendence and under Government plans; it was approved of tacitly or directly and passed by the Surveyor General, and when completed some years ago was, with the roadway, taken over by the Local Government from the hands of the Constructors, the Marine Lot Holders aforesaid--without comment, question, or protest; thus relieving the latter from all further responsibility; and by the Government has it been since maintained.
It may be mentioned too that while the whole of the Sea wall was subject to the supervision and approval of Government during the period occupied in its construction, a part was actually built under the special professional superintendence of Mr. C. St. G. Cleverly who would, of course, take care that no work was passed in his private capacity that he would disapprove of as Surveyor General.
We are therefore unanimously of opinion that no laches attach to the Tenants (as a body) of these Lots: and if after the inspection by com- petent Authorities the whole or any part of the Sea wall is found to require re-construction, the entire expense of this re-construction should form a charge upon the General Revenues of the Colony.
With reference to the proposed extension of 100 feet it is found that while the ground gained would be costly in itself, it would be of little comparative value; far too limited an area, even if the whole could be availed of, to be of much practical use; but as the roadway of 50 feet, nouc too wide even now, forming the present Praya, would still be required as a line of thoroughfare and access to the buildings already occupying its length-it would follow, that deducting the width of the New Praya to be formed, but 50 feet of available area would remain; almost valueless to the adjoining Lot Holders from the inevitable necessity of its separation from their Lots. Moreover whatever might be the extent of the reclamation, the mere fact of the present Marine Lots being
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