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Saturday, March 31, 1973
LAND GRANTS FOR CHARITABLE AND WELFARE PURPOSES
During the past two years, the Government has granted almost
two million square feet of land for charitable and welfare purposes.
Last year alone, a total of 1,145,000 square feet was granted
to 19 different organisations.
These grants are made by private treaty, and the premium charged
varies from nil to full market value according to the purposes for which
the land is to be used.
Grants have included land for schools, homes for the aged,
pre-vocational training, workers housing schemes, churches and temples.
Charitable organisations have been granted land since the earliest
days of Hong Kong.
Although most records were destroyed during the war, some of the
oldest recipients are known to have been St. John's Cathedral, the Po
Leung Kuk and the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals.
The largest single grant recently was of 519,000 square feet
to the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries for an
extension to the cemetery at Cape Collinson.
Other large areas granted have included 276,000 square feet at
Shuen Wan near Tai Po to the Hong Kong Sea School for a new school, and
123,600 square feet to the Junk Bay Medical Relief Council for a preventorium.
Most grants ....