is stated, and I understand it has been pretty generally whispered, that the sale, of Crown landsi effected in 1881 was really a speculative sale, that the Crown sold lands for sums far higher than purchasers were entitled to pay, and that the land so sold would not be applied to practical pur- poses, but was in reality intended for specula- tive purposes, that is, for being sold from one per- son to another, no buildings being erected upon the lots. You are well aware that at one time in the history of this Colony such things occurred, and large purchases were made many years ago of Crown lands in certain portions of the Colony which to this day have been unused. They were bought for speculative purposes and they remain idle. A similar charge appears to have been made as regards the sale of the Crown lands in 1881. This is a matter of public in- terest, and I have therefore asked the Surveyor- General to favour me with a return of the various lots sold in 1881 by the Government, with a statement as to what has been done or is pro- posed to be done with the land so sold. Now, I find that the first lot sold was inland lot No. 509. It was sold for $3,500 to a Chinese gentleman, and upon that lot he is erecting a number of houses. The next lot sold in 1881 was lot No. 26 at Kowloon, a Marine lot. That has been sold to the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co., a company, as you know, one of the most flourishing of its kind in the East, which is doing an immensity of good in the Colony. That was purchased with a view to the erection of houses for the workmen employed at the dock, but the buildings are not yet commenced. The next 1 sce was a lot sold to Messrs. Belilios and Chater, for $12,525 and upon that lot godowns and houses are to be erected during the current year. Speak- ing in the presence of iny hon. friend Mr. Belilios 1 may say that though the godowns are not yet finished some of them are actually let, such is the demand for business premises in the Colony The next lot was asmall one, sold for ! $1,768, purchased by a European gentleman for a Jawn tennis ground, which has been construct- ed. The next lot, for $2,025, was also sold to iny enterprising friend, Mr. Chater, and upon that lot there have been erected four godowns for the storage of kerosine oil, and they will contain about 120,000 cases. The buildings are nearly completed. There was a small inland lot sold to Mr. Ede, which is still unoccupied. Two very important lots were sold at Bowrington to Lai Wai Yeung, one for $10,025 and the other for $6,025, and upon those lots that Chinese gentleman is constructing, as you all may see, a large sugar refinery. The site selected is one that, as you know, has remained perfectly ide and grass-grown up to this year. It is between the great premises of Jardine, Matheson and Co. and the city of Victoria. Upon this ground that sugar refinery is now being built. It is the first time that a sugar refinery, as such, has been constructed in the Colouy of Hongkong, for the surgar refinery a little further to the cast, which is called the East Point Sugar Refinery, consists of buildings which, as you are aware, were con structed originally with a view of doing some- thing to remedy the inconvenience felt with regard to the currency of the Colony by establish. ing here a Mint. sir Hercules Robinson con- structed those fine buildings for a Mint. They were subsequently sold-I think it was unfortu nate-for less than a third of what they cost, but I am bound to say they are now usefully em- ployed by an energetic company, the China sugar Refining Company. With regard to the sugar refinery being built by the Chinese a little nearer the town, the machinery for that building is being obtained from scotland; it is of the best kind, with all the latest improvements, and the ma- chinery and buildings will cost about $350,000. 1 find that a small lot, inland lot No. 622, was sold for $10 to a European gentleman for the storage of timber. Next there is a lot sold for $2,525 to another European gentleman for kero- sine godowns. These godowns have been nearly completed. The next lot, a small one, sold for $205, is still unoccupied. I come now to a very important sale that was effected at Kowloon of marine lots No. 20 and 21, sold, one for $29,025 and the other for $24,025. They have been pur- chased by Mr. Chater. The ground is now being reclaimed from the sea. I had an opportunity
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some time ago of examining the plans and esti- mates, and with respect to that important work I have been furnished by Mr. Danby with a memorandum in which he states--
The ground on the beach at Kowloon between Trimsa-tsui and the Royal Naval Coal Sheds was sold lately by Govenment to some influential capitalists in the Colony, who propose utilising it for commercial purposes by erecting large Godowns and Cual Sheds thereon. The ground will be reclaimed by them, a strong sea wall being erected in front and for the whole length of the ground, wharves will also be constructed at intervals along the front of the sea wall so that vessels of large tonnage can lay along. side and either discharge or take in cargo at any state of the tide and in all weathers, this position being sheltered for typhoons and strong gales by the Kowlom bills. "Men-of-war and steam- ship anchor immediately in front of this place during the typhons season. The storage capacity of the whole of the glowns will be about 375, tous, and the capital that will have been laid out on the project when completed will exceed une millian dollars.
I find the next lots are lots brought by Euro- pean friends of mine, some as sites for bungalows on the hills-Messrs. Alford, Ede, Remedios, Stephens, and others. The ground is still unoc cupied. Next we come to a lot, at Belcher's Bay, which was sold for $35,100. In point of fact I believe that on that lot there will be constructed a dock of large dimensions, for some of the Chi- nese gentlemen who purchased that valuable piece of Crown land have expressed to me their regret that Her Majesty's ship Inconstant should be seen leaving this harbour to proceed to Naga- sake to be docked, and they undertake that when they have an opportunity of making their new dock, Hongkong will then have a dock capable of taking in the largest vessel in Her Majesty's service. I find certain works which were under- taken in Duddeli-street, and for a small portion of which some Crown land was sold. My hon. friend on my left (Mr. Belilios) has those works in hand also. Upon that site there is now being built, as you see, substantial and magnificent godowns, and I think some of these, as many as nine of them, though not yet finished, are actually let. Finally, I come to a lot with respect to which there has been a good deal of talk, inland lot No. 837, which was sold for $24,500 to Messrs. Butterfeld and swire. That is a lot about half- way between this and Shau-ki-wan, at a place called Quarry Bay, and the only reason why any one can speak of the Government having got larger prices than it really ought to expect for land is that perhaps with reference to the sale of that lot an incident occurred which might give rise to the idea there was some speculation. 1 think it was $5,000 or $6,000 that in consultation with Mr. Bowdler we arranged as the sum at which the upset price for that lot should be fixed, I may mention that, as usual in such cases, I re- ceived representations from Mr. Bowdler that the upset price was somewhat too high. From time to time in 1381, with respect to the lots at Bow- rington especially, I myself ventured consider. ably to increase the upset price the Survey De- partinent recommended. Representations were made to me on the subject, but I did not fcel justified in reducing the price. But with re- spect to this particular lot I understand, in fact it is a matter of notoriety, commented on in the public Press, that though the upset price was something like $6,000 a gentleman attended at the sale and ran the price up to $24,500. Well, there can be no doubt whatever from all I under- stand, if that gentleman had obtained the lot for $24,500, it would not have been for the purpose of erecting upon it a sugar refinery, Messrs. Butterfeld and swire intend to put upon it a sugar retinery, which I am disposed to think will be one of the best sugar renueries in the Her Majesty's Colonial empire. When I was Go- vernor-in-Chief in the Windward Islands I had an opportunity of seeing a remarkable sugar refinery built at St. Lucia, which at that time was supposed to be the best in Her Majesty's colonics. Having seen the plants and estimates of the new sugar refinery, with an account of the machinery now on its way out, obtained from Blake, Barclay & Co., of Greenock, I have no hesitation in saying we are about to have a sugar refinery in Hongkong that can compete with the large refinery at St. Lucia. This new manufactory will consist of a build- ing having nine floors; it will be constructed to a great extent of iron, on the modern system and with the latest machinery. The total sum which will be expended on the undertaking when completed will not be far short, I believe, of £200,000. Now that is, gentlemen, a detailed account of what was done with the Crown lands sold by me in 1881. There is nothing in that