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MEMORANDUM BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ON THE REPORT ON SEVENTY-FIVE YEAR CROWN LEASES, RECEIVED FROM THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
65
It is presumed in the letter and report that these
leases were standard leases granted between the years 1880-
1898 (approximately) and that before this period the normal
term of lease was for 999 years and that since 1898 standard
leases have been issued for seventy-five years renewable (on
conditions which will be examined later) for a further seventy-
five years, so that the seventy-five year leaseholders are
alleged to find themselves in an invidious position in comparison
with both earlier and later leaseholders otherwise similarly
situated. The position is not as described. 999 years
remained the normal term for building lots in urban areas until
the standard term of lease was reduced as a result of lir.
Jospeh Chamberlain's instructions in his despatches No.132 of
23rd May, 1898, and No. 320 of 9th December, 1898. The
seventy-five year leases were confined to lots in the hill
district and Kowloon, then a village, and other non-urban areas.
This is clearly indicated on pages 19 and 28 of the report from
the Land Commission of 1886-7, to which the Chamber of Commerco's
report makes frequent reference. There are in existence
1,344 such lots distributed as follows :
Hong Kong Island.
Lower Levels
Hill District
107 76
Mainland
Kowloon
1,160
New Kowloon
1
(Rural Building Lot)