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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS MISCELLANEOUS.
work had to be done before the Court could commence its sitting. The formation of a proper demarcation Staff and the arrangements connected with the registration and reception of claims provided full occupation for the Court so that no sittings had been held up to the end of the year.
The Indians making the field to field survey were of course strangers to the country and not knowing the language were unable to ascertain particulars of ownership. It became therefore necessary to form a Staff of Chinese Demarcators to accompany the survey parties, and as the outcome of several experiments twenty Chinese, mostly villagers of the better class, were enlisted to make the record of holdings. This work they have proved fairly competent to perform, but they are quite unable to read a map, and this necessitates their being accompanied in every case by a Surveyor even when at work upon land the field to field survey of which has been completed.
The area selected for the commencement of operations was the long and narrow strip of territory, fronting the harbour of Hongkong, and extending from the Liümun Pass on the East to the village of Lai Chi Kok on the West, on account of its great importance as an outlet for the expansion of the Colony and its very high value.
Unfortunately the inhabitants of this area were fully alive to the possibilities of the situation and it may be said that every foot of land anywhere near the sea is the subject of five or six conflicting claims. It is impossible to believe in the bonâ fides of many of the claimants or to imagine that their own Government would have given a patient hearing to many of the demands now put forward.
At the same time when it is remembered that the Chinese authorities had never made a survey and that the Chinese Magistrate seldom or never settled disputes over land of little value by personal inspection, it is evident that considerable patience and caution are now needed.
Besides the strip of country on the North shore of the harbour, 9 lesser islands lying between Hongkong and the large Island of Lan Tao have been taken as test cases. Five of them being barren and practically valueless have not been claimed and will therefore be considered as Crown Land.
Four of the others were claimed by the representatives of wealthy families on the mainland, but no decision had been given by the Court up to the end of the year.
The general procedure of the Land Court is given in a Report by Mr. Gompertz, dated the 4th March, 1901 (Appendix Ia).* It may be summarised as follows:-
A district is chosen and marked out by boundaries and a notification then calls upon all land-owners to present their claims to the Court before a given date. All lands claimed are surveyed and particulars of ownership entered on the demarcation books, while claimants are summoned to attend the Court
* Not re-printed.
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