WAR OFFICE
E
526
0.
10605
14 May
Report on an area of land applied for by the Military Authorities for the proposed West Point Battery.
The land applied for, is bounded on the North by the road from the City to Pokfulam and Aberdeen, for a distance of 1,400 feet or over a quarter of a mile and lies actually within the city of Victoria, as defined by Ordinance.
The lower part of it is about 200 feet above sea level and it runs up to 300* or more.
Densely crowded parts of the City lie between it and the harbour, including the improving district of Kennedy Town. It contains an area approximately of 266,859 square feet, of which 67,761 square feet has been a Military Reserve, the balance of 199,098 square feet being unreserved Colonial property. The ground is rough and steep, but not more so than much of the building areas on the Northern slopes of Victoria Peak.
This land is so readily accessible to the City, being within a quarter of a mile of Queen's Road and 1 mile of the Post Office or centre of the City, and bounded by a first-class road for a quarter of a mile, it is not unreasonable to suppose that before long it would (if it remained Colonial Property) be sought after for building sites, especially in view of the scarcity of houses and enormous rents now ruling.
Building sites at about the same level, but nearer the centre of the City, are now valued at fully 25 cents a foot, and this has been paid at public auction.
Much.