J.S.& S.LTD
-2-
and should any such reclamation be in view in future the interest concerned would have to watch against and make its case at the earliest moment when such measures might be contemplated. The Bill itself if passed can- not deal with specific cases and if we cannot get it dropped altogether we must as you say, endeavour to see that its general terms are such as to enable riparian owners to have ample opportunity to present their case and to defend it before it comes into concrete form. We note that it is considered that section 8
in pro- viding for claims 'for any injurious affection of any property', gives the widest possible right to make a claim for compensation." The point we stress is that interference with our frontage would so directly affect our business that com- pensation in itself would not be an adequate measure."
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From the Manager of the Taikoo Dockyard "The argument that in view of the attention now paid in China to questions of frontage rights an Ordinance like this is almost certain to be copied in a very short time and probably exercised dras- tically without regard to reasonable private rights, is of course very strong and of great importance to us. One is more and more convinced that this Colony should be, if not under the control of, in very close touch with, the Foreign Office.
"The two most important points in this question from our point of view are of course the follow- ing:-
1. The keeping valid our land and marine rights agreement with the Government.
2.
The question of harmful interference with the present or natural flow of the tide round and past our premises which might, and in our opinion would be changed by reclamation work, with parti- cuar reference to Aldridge Bay (Shaukiwan) and the water between Quarry Point and our boundary on the West.
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