No. 28.
5405041
23 APR 1341
V. V.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG,
4th February, 1941.
7
6/40
Enclosure 1.
Enclosure 2.
Enclosure 3.
Enclosure 4.
Quid 2.
My Lord,
I have the honour to refer to Mr. N.L. Smith's despatch No.308 of 27th June, 1940, enclosing a memorandum
by the Financial Secretary, Mr. H.R. Butters, on the subject of the renewal of seventy-five year leases of Crown Land and to inform Your Lordship that copies of these documents were sent to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce for
comment.
2.
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce has requested me to transmit to Your Lordship their comments on the matter together with a letter containing comments on the enclosed memorandum prepared, at the Chamber's request, by Mr. J.E. Richardson, Valuations and Resumptions Officer, on the practice and principles of Government
valuation of leasehold land.
3.
I would point out with regard to the Chamber's comments contained in paragraphs 12 and 13 of enclosure 2 that the clause as to compensation for buildings in sites
• site.
should the land be resumed for a public purpose is contained in seventy-five year leases as well as in seventy-five plus seventy-five year ones. Such compensation is payable at any time during the lease's currency but on termination of a seventy-five years lease no compensation would be payable whether or not the land were required for a public purpose,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LORD LLOYD OF DOLOBRAN,
&C.,
&C.,
&c.