No.117.
Sir,
53556
5 34
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG.
7th February, 1938.
I have the honour to address you on the subject
of the Tung Wah Infectious Diseases Hospital (sometimes called the Smallpox Hospital) the unsatisfactory condition 63668 35of which was the subject of comment in your despatch No.304
of the 1th August, 1936.
This corres
う
Canterbury
Answd. D
2. The grant of a lease of this site was approved in & Colonial Office telegram dated 2nd December, 1899, in reply to Sir. E. A. Blake's despatch No.293 of the 20th
October, 1999. Although the land on which the Hospital
proper stands was granted without payment and at a nominal Crown Rent the terms of the lease provide for compensation for both land and buildings in the event of resumption by Government. Certain out-buildings occupy land acquired by the Committee in the open market.
3. The Hospital building is at present used by the Government as a temporary asylum for lepers pending consideration of proposals for the construction of a leper settlement. It is in a dilapidated condition having suffered considerable damage from typhoon winds, and cannot
economically be reconstructed. In the circumstances it is considered that $50,000, of which $41,000 represents the value of the site, is a fair and reasonable compensation.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
W.G.A. ORMSBY-GORE, P.C., M.P.,
&C.,
&c.
3
&c.