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I am in the course of arranging to see Mr. Charlton of the War Office about the proposal about the lands in the Admiralty dockyard area, Hong Kong. This came to us at (179) and was taken further in the savingram at (188), although action has been held up by the loss of the plan, now happily recovered. I have attached this at the back of the file.
2.
The Governor's proposal relates to land which has been occupied by the Navy in the dockyard area, which the War Office regard as War Office land. His proposal was that the War Office should relinquish any claims on this land, including any rights inherited by the Admiralty, as the result of exchanges of land in the past.
3. These proposals refer to four plots of land:-
No
(a) War Department Lot 5- 42 acres. Occupied 1842
and transferred to the Navy in 1945. document of title exists and apparently governmental assent was not sought for the transfer.
(b) War Department Lot 5 (north) 6 acres.
-
Reclaimation of this appears to have been carried out over the turn of the century, and was eventually completed by 1905. This was carried out by the Royal Navy and was authorised by an Ordinance which however did not confer title. In 1898 the land was transferred to the War Office, and it is not clear whether the land is actually occupied by the Army now or by the Navy. However, no title to the land was ever obtained or granted, and it appears that if the War Department want anything for it now they will only be able to get compensation for improvements.
(c) North Barracks Lot
-
5 acres.
Occupied by the
War Office
War Office 1842 and transferred to the Navy in 1898 in part exchange for (b) above. never had any document of title.
War Office
In 1898 this
(d) Admiralty Lot 2 27,000 sq. ft.
acquired a 75-year lease in 1852. was transferred to the Navy. The War Office claim that in 1898 the lease was renewed on a 999 But there is no evidence of this in
year basis.
Hong Kong.
Cartonity. Trom whed.
как
5.
I hope that you will cane with me to see Mr. Charlton.
I have arranged to see Mr. Charlton at 11 o'clock on Wednesday, 22nd January, and he is trying to lay on their Director of Lands at the meeting. I have told him that what we want to do is to find out the basis of their objections to Hong Kong's proposal, their basis of evaluation, and what evidence they have of title. But we could have a discussion over the whole matter, and I think it would be wise to do so in view of the imminence of Defence Committee consideration of
this subject (this cannot be long delayed). Mr. Wallace may like to see these papers.
alambak
(A. Campbell)
20th January, 1958
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