9
square feet, and three lots still smaller, the smallest being only 123 square feet.
Nevertheless, the possibility that exchange may be feasible is by no means ruled out.
54422/47 50
(1) on 'sitfile
Mali
The reasons for not awarding compensation for buildings demolished have already been explained in my Savingram No.766 and I see no reason to alter that decision. Nor are there any grounds for awarding monetary compensation at the post-war values of land.
6.
It is of course completely untrue to say that these people "since the liberation of the Colony have been homeless and without means of living, anxious and desperate", and I do not suppose that this passage in the last paragraph of the present petition is intended to be more than a colourful and rhetorical conclusion.
7. I suggest that your reply to the Petitioners should confirm the decision not to award compensation for buildings demolished; should reject the claim to monetary compensation calculated at the post-war inflated values of land; and should inform the petitioners that while it may prove possible to grant land in exchange in some individual cases it is not practicable to introduce any general provision to give a right to receive land in exchange instead of cash compensation in all cases.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient, humble servant,
Mharthan.
GOVERNOR.
Page
P
P
To
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The Right Honourable 3erl of Listowel, P.C.,
His Majesty's Minister of State for Colonial Affairs.
The Humble Petition of The Association
for Claiming Compensation for Losses
of Feople's Property at the Kai Tak
Airfield c/o The Kowloon Chine se
Chambers of Commerce of No.36 Nga Tsin
Long Road, second floor, Kowloon in
the Colony of Hong Kong.
SFEVETH as follows:-
Thet during the period of the occupation an extension was made
to the area of the Kei Tek Airfield by the Japanese occupying forces
thereby a great number of business end domestic buildings in the
once properous district of Kowloon City were demolished, villages
turned down, and agricultural grounds with growing crops wiped out.
to form the present size of this aerodrome and over 10,000
inhabitants were rendered homeless and many others deprived of
their crop-land..
2. That on the 2nd day of March 1947 an Association under the
name by which your Petitioner is now known was organised and e
Petition was presented to the Government of Hong Kong reque sti ng
a compensation to be made in the following terms:-
3.
(a) That appropriate building end agriculturel lots be given
to compensate the owners who have been deprived of their
properties and
(b) That reasonable compensation be paid to them for losses
of buildings, factories machineries, furniture and/or
growing crops.
That in the last mentioned Fetition the following reasons
were submitted for consideration.
(a) That the properties were privately owned and that sinc e
they were taken and occupied by the enemy they should on
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