:
King's Park Reservation.
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Jon
Road on the East (until recently regarded as a quasi-Europeau Reservation and still largely occupied by Europeans), and there is a probability that yet further purchases will be made in the same District for the housing of refugees from China. Moreover the demand on housing accommodation in Kowloon has recently been considerably increased by the recent compul- sory removal (owing to housing shortage) from the Island of Hongkong to Kowloon-
(1) of married employees in H. M. Naval Yard.
(2) of Portuguese from Belilios Terrace and elsewhere and their
families.
* 118. The Chairman and Mr. Bailey, after carefully exploring the whole of the Kowloon lauds to the south of the range of hills behind the Kowloon Peninsula, have come, without any doubt whatever, to the conclusion that the Government ought, under the circumstances above detailed, to reserve as an European Reservation (subject to the Military requirements referred to in paragraph 120, the whole of the foothills surrounding and forming part of King's Park on the West, North and East side, and also the hilly area immediately adjoining such foothills, which adjoining area is situate between King's Park and the Railway on the East and between King's Park and Nathan Road on the West. Mr. Bailey and the Chairman have carefully gone over this land, and have come to the emphatic conclusion that this is an absolutely ideal site for the purpose suggested, and they have no hesitation whatever in recommending to the Government that it be used for building residences for those of British Race, that the land be sold without auction at a cheap price to applicants approved of by the Governor in Council, and that the conditions of sale require that the buildings to be erected shall only be occupied by and sold to such persons of British race as are approved of by the Governor in Council. It is difficult, without a survey, to estimate exactly how many houses could be built, with garden space around them, on the hilly amphitheatre referred to, but it is believed that fully 100 houses could be erected.
119. The suggestion which is being made as to a portion of the foothills of King's Park being u-ed for residential purposes is not a new one, and has even in the past been advocated by the Government, as appears from the fol- lowing extract from the Report of Proceedings of the Public Works Committee, consisting of the Director of Public Works (Mr. W. Chatham), the Colonial Treasurer (Mr. R. O. Hutchison) Mr. Pollock, Mr. Lau Chu-pak, Mr. Ho Fook, Mr. E. V. D. Parr, and Mr. S. H. Dodwell, held in the Council Chamber on the 5th February, 1920:—
As regards European houses, provision had been made in the current year's Estimates for the erection of a number of such houses on that portion of King's l'ark which lies to the eastward of the Rife Range. The area in question was at present waste land, being covered with trees and undergrowth. The houses were intended, primarily, for the accommodation of members of the Civil Service or of the Naval and Military Establishments. After discussing various suggestions, the Committee unanimously agreed to recommend that, in order to provide additional sites for European houses, the Rifle Range should be removed and the slopes of the hills bounding King's Park and also any portions of the Park itself, in addition to that already referred to, which are not utilized in connection with the Golf Course, should be rendered accessible by roads and disposed of as building sites."
* 120. We have recently received information that there is some likelihood that the eastern side of the range of hills encircling King's Park, e. the side next to the Railway, may be required for quarters for the Officers of the Regiment, to be stationed at Gun Club Hill and their wives. Whilst fully recognizing that the Military have first claim we would most strongly recom- mend the Government to now reserve the Western and Northern part of such circle of hills for British civilian residents in the manner suggested above.
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* 121. Moreover, in order to secure the future housing of persons of British
race we recommend that the Government, in addition to the measures suggested in paragraphs 118 and 120) of this Report, do mark out as an European Reservation, and develope to the fullest possible extent for occu- pation by British Residents, the Kowloon foothills together with the hills behind, which are marked green on the plan of the Colony (Enclosure No. 7). We recommend that the section within the red dotted lines be developed first by the Government, seeing that this section contains a fract of land, at a height of 50 to 450 feet above sea level, the eastern portion of which is capable of easy development and laying out for building purposes. In fact a part of such eastern portion was formerly suggested by the Government as a suitable site for the Kowloon Hospital. Any such Reservations would, of course, be subject to any rights of any present owners of land.
* 122. In order, however, that building may be encouraged to the full, in the section within the red dotted lines, anal that a successful British settle- ment may grow up, we recommend that the Government take all the follow- ing essential steps, as promptly as is practicable:
(1) Adopt the advice contained in paragraph 51 as to the development
by the Government of new areas, namely:-
"To give greater encouragement to pioneers by constructing roads, sewers, mains, training of nullahs, et cetera, at Government expense in new areas, even when the nun- ber of houses to be built is small in the first instance.' Amongst the ctecteras required are electric light and water. Adequate Police Protection is another obvious need.
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(2) Mark out promptly, and publish particulars of, the dimensions of
lots which are available for building.
(3) Sell such lots at a cheap rate, without auction, for occupation
by persons of British race.
(4) Encourage private persons approved of by the Governor in Council to build for their own occupation upon the terms set out in paragraph 16 of this Report.
(5) Encourage by easy terms firms and companies located in Kowloon to build houses for their British employees upon the higher levels, on the principle of the Taikoo Inuildings in the gap above Quarry Bay.
(6) If houses are in future required for Government Servants stationed at Kowloon, build such houses writhin the area in question.
(7) Encourage cheap and efficient transport by motor bus and ferry to
Kowloon City.
(8) Construct a through tram from the Star Ferry to 450 feet above sea-level, with its terminus at some convenient spot in the black lines section shown in Enclosure 7, with an adequate service of trams, including some non-stop trams, at certain hours of the day.
* 123. We desire to add that we are in favour of reservations all round for any races, Chinese, Portuguese, Indians and others desiring such reservations, and preferring to live amongst their own people; and the above conditions 1, 2, 3, and 4 in paragraph 122 should apply, mutatia mutandis, to such Reserva- tions also.
* 124. We accordingly recommend that the Government should, in rural districts, grant land, as reservations, at a cheap rate without auction to permanent residents of all races who desire to live among their own kind with a clause to restrain resale or alienation to persons not of the same race.
Reservation
of Kowloom Foothills atud bills.
Prompt Development
of Rowlcom foothills Necessary.
Commission-
+TA Favour roservationN
all round,
369
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