THURSDAY, JULY 22, 19
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UNDER THIS AMENDMENT, IT IS AN OFFENCE TO DAMAGE, DESTROY CR MAKE ANY ALTERATIONS TO A +PROPOSED MONUMENT+ WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES WHO MAY, AFTER CONSULTING THE BOARD AND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR, DECLARE ANY PLACE, BUILDING, SITE OR STRUCTURE TO BE A MONUMENT BY REASON OF ITS HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL OR PALEONTOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR THIS OFFENCE HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $5 000 TO IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR AND A FINE OF $100 000.
UP TO THE PRESENT, THERE ARE 16 DECLARED MONUMENTS, INCLUDING THE DUDDELL STREET STEPS AND GAS LAMPS, SEVEN ROCK CARVINGS AND INSCRIPTIONS, THREE FORTS, TWO ANCIENT VILLAGES, ONE ANCESTRAL HALL, ONE TEMPLE, AND TAI PO'S DISTRICT OFFICE NORTH BUILDING.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE AGREEMENTS IN PRINCIPLE TO DECLARE TWO MORE MONUMENTS. WHILE A DECISION WILL BE MADE ON ABOUT 20 OTHER PENDING ITEMS OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE, INCLUDING THE 138-YEAR-OLD MURRAY HOUSE.
THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING HONG KONG'S HERITAGE IS DEMONSTRATED, FOR INSTANCE, BY ITS DECISION TO RESTORE MURRAY HOUSE, WHICH SITS ON A PRIME COMMERCIAL SITE IN CENTRAL.
THE PLOT OF LAND AND THE ADJOINING CAR PARK ARE TO BE SOLD, BUT THE BUILDING WILL BE PRESERVED IN ALMOST ITS ORIGINAL ENTIRETY UNDER A $2 MILLION, SIX-MONTH LONG DISMANTLEMENT SCHEME TO START IN SEPTEMBER.
MR S.K. TSE, AN ARCHITECT OF THE ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE OF THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT PLACED IN CHARGE OF SUPERVISING THE SCHEME, SAID IT WOULD INVOLVE THE STONE-BY-STONE DISMANTLING, CLEANING AND MARKING OF THE WHOLE EXTERNAL STONE FACADE, COLUMNS, LINTELS, TIMBER ROOF TRUSSES, ROOFING TILES AND OTHER ITEMS FOR TRANSPORTING TO SPECIAL STORAGE SHEDS AT SANDY BAY.
THE PIECES WOULD BE PUT TOGETHER AGAIN WHEN A SUITABLE SITE IS AVAILABLE, MOST LIKELY IN VICTORIA BARRACKS, ACCORDING TO MR TSE.
HE ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST $10 MILLION MORE TO REBUILD MURRAY HOUSE ON A NEW LOCATION.
+REBUILDING OF MURRAY HOUSE WILL INVOLVE INSTALLING NEW INTERIOR FIXTURES, ROOF TILES, FLOORING AND OTHER BUILDING PARTS AS MOST OF THE ORIGINAL INTERIOR PIECES HAVE LONG GONE, MR TSE ADDED,
THE BUILDING IS WIDELY HELD TO BE A HAUNTED HOUSE AS A RESULT, IT IS SAID OF THE DEATHS THAT OCCURRED THERE DURING THE PACIFIC WAR. MR TSE SAID HE HAD ARRANGED FOR THE PRIVATE CONTRACTOR ENGAGED TO DISMANTLE THE BUILDING TO UNDERTAKE BUDDHIST CEREMONIES TO APPEASE ANY GHOSTS THAT MIGHT BE THERE.+.
WHILE DISCLAIMING PERSONAL BELIEF IN GHOSTS, MR TSE SAID HE HAD HEARD REPORTS FROM STAFF OF THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT, THE LAST OCCUPANTS OF MURRAY HOUSE IN 1972-1981, OF TYPEWRITERS CLICKING WITHOUT ANYONE NEAR THEM, OF DOORS THAT WERE OPENED AND SLAMMED SHUT BY UNKNOWN FORCES, AND SIGHTINGS OF APPARITIONS.
/BUILT IN