Sec. L/M. B/L. 1845/50
in 30/3181/49.
SAVINGRAM
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
From the Governor, Hong Kong.
Date
13
177
No.
February, 1951.
3
Encl. A
2
3
54145/4/1/10
Encl. B
Encl. C
Encl. D
t
1949.
Your savingram No. 765 of 2nd August,
1950 and paragraph 5 of my secret savingram No. 99 of the 17th August, 1950. Memorandum from Hong Kong Chinese Reform Association. Renewal of Crown Leases.
1.
I regret the delay in furnishing comments.
The terms on which 75 year non-renewable Crown Leases should be renewed was the subject of considerable correspondence with you after the war culminating in my confidential savingram No. 217 of 19th March 1949 with which I enclosed a copy of a statement released to the press on the 20th and published on the 23rd February 1949.
2.
That correspondence was concerned principally with the Crown Leases of lots on the Peak and Upper Levels on the Island where property had been heavily damaged (largely as a result of looting) during the Japanese occupation. Apart from a representation from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce on matters of detail, the announce- ment aroused no great public interest and lessees on the Island have since proceeded with the rehabilitation or replacement of their properties, and have in most cases applied for the renewal of their leases on the published terms.
3.
The representation made by the Chinese Reform Association to Sir Hilton Poynton is dated on the same day, exactly 18 months after the press release referred to above, as a question put to the Public Relations Officer by the press of which I enclose a copy. The coincidence of the dates gives rise to the assumption that they were inspired by the same source. I enclose also a copy of the reply which was handed to the press on the 15th September 1950.
4.
The occasion for this belated memorandum from the Chinese Reform Association is the publication of a further announcement dated the 21st April 1950 regarding expiring Crown leases of Kowloon Inland Lots and Kowloon Marine Lots, of which I enclose a copy. This was followed by letters to the Crown lessees of all Kowloon lots whose leases expired on the 24th June last. I enclose a copy of the standard form of this letter which issued on the 26th and 27th June 1950. The terms of this letter were designed to safeguard the interests of the Crown as ground landlord in the event of any lessee failing to apply for renewal of his lease.
5.
I am reluctant to suppose that the gross misrepresentations contained in the memorandum from the Chinese Reform Association are actuated by anything other than its failure to understand the system of land tenure prevalent in this Colony. Despite all the publicity which has been given to this subject both