NO CONFIDENTIAL.
Ausd (2)
had
Sir,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG,
17th December, 1931.
25
I have the honour to inform you that I have had
recently under consideration a proposal by the Hong Kong &
Shanghai Banking Corporation for the acquisition of part of
the site of the City Hall building for the purpose of extending
the premises of the Bank.
2. The City Hall which comprises a theatre, library,
museum and assembly rooms was completed in 1870. Funds for
its erection were provided partly by public subscription and
partly by a grant from the Government, the site being leased
without premium and at a nominal rental.
The Crown Lease
contains the restrictive Covenants usual in such cases forbidding
The lease was granted to
alienation and providing that the property should revert to the
Government should the premises at any time be used for any purpose other than a City Hall.
three individuals, all of whom are now deceased, but for many
years the property has been administered by a Committee, the
existence of which would appear to have no legal foundation.
The position can, however, be regularised by the incorporation of this Committee and a Bill to this effect has already been
drafted.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
SIR P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER, G.B.E., M.C., M.P.
&C.,
&c.,
&c.
"
3.