CO129-009 - Public Offices - 1844 — Page 522

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

"beyond any other applicant. The buildings therefore remain in the same unfinished state, and, although the ground had not been required for Government's purposes, I was unable to receive any final decision on the point previous to my own departure from China; neither has up to the date of the last advices from thence, a period of nearly two years from the time the ground was bought by me, any been obtained.

From the preceding statement and documents (which latter are ready to be produced) the state of the case will clearly appear, and it seems unnecessary to make any comment upon them. No cause of complaint ever was, or could be made as to any of my proceedings regarding the ground, after it was transferred to me by the Government.

Sir Henry Pottinger's procedure was based on an assertion (to which the usual practice in such cases gave no foundation) that Captain Meik had forfeited his title to sell the land; and he has therefore nullified the acts of the Government Authorities constituted by himself, acting in a matter in which they specially, by public notification, authorized me to act; this leaving me, who had received the ground from the Government, as evidenced by their documents delivered to me, to suffer a heavy loss, without any indemnity and at the same time being informed that these Government Documents "do not, in the opinion of His Excellency, give me the slightest claim to the ground beyond any other applicant."

This affair gave universal astonishment in the Colony at the time, as every holder of lands felt that, however formal might be his title, it was, on the same principle, liable to be set aside by the Governor who granted it, or any succeeding...

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"beyond any other applicant. The buildings therefore remain in the same unfinished state, and, although the ground had not been required for Government's purposes, I was unable to receive any final decision on the point previous to my own departure from China; neither has up to the date of the last advices from thence, a period of nearly two years from the time the ground was bought by me, any been obtained. From the preceding statement and documents (which latter are ready to be produced) the state of the case will clearly appear, and it seems unnecessary to make any comment upon them. No cause of complaint ever was, or could be made as to any of my proceedings regarding the ground, after it was transferred to me by the Government. Sir Henry Pottinger's procedure was based on an assertion (to which the usual practice in such cases gave no foundation) that Captain Meik had forfeited his title to sell the land; and he has therefore nullified the acts of the Government Authorities constituted by himself, acting in a matter in which they specially, by public notification, authorized me to act; this leaving me, who had received the ground from the Government, as evidenced by their documents delivered to me, to suffer a heavy loss, without any indemnity and at the same time being informed that these Government Documents "do not, in the opinion of His Excellency, give me the slightest claim to the ground beyond any other applicant." This affair gave universal astonishment in the Colony at the time, as every holder of lands felt that, however formal might be his title, it was, on the same principle, liable to be set aside by the Governor who granted it, or any succeeding...
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10 " beyond any other applicant. The buildings therefore remain in the same unfinished state, and, although the ground had not been required for Governments purposes, I was unable any final decision to receive Or the point previous to my own departure from. China; neither has up to the date any been obtained of the last advices from thence; a period of nearly two years from the time the ground was bought by Mie From the preceding statement and documents (which latter are ready to be produced) the state of the case will clearly appear, and it seems unnecessary comment upon there. No. to make any Cause of complaint ever was, or could be made as to any of my proceedings the ground, after it was transferred to me by the Government. of A Sir ground Tha Henry Pottinger's procedure was assertion (to which the usual practice A in such cases gave. 1/513 gave no foundation) that Captain Meik had forfeited his Title to sell the Land; and he has therefore. hitherto nullified the acts of the Government Authorities constibuted by. himself, acting in a matter in which they me specially, by public Notification, authorized by him to act ; this leaving who had received the ground from the Government, as evidenced by their documents delivered to me, heavy loss, without informing to suffer a 2. any indemnity and at the same time that these Government Documents "do not in the opinion. " of "His Excellmay give me the slightest claim to the ground beyond any ( 2 applicant other This affair gave universal astonishments in the Colony. the time, as every holder of Lands felt. that however formal might be his Title the same principle, to them, it was, on liable to be set aside by the Governor who granted it, or any succeeding
2026-05-16 22:54:10 · Baseline
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10

"

beyond any

other applicant.

The buildings therefore remain

in the same unfinished state, and,

although the ground had not been required for Governments purposes, I was unable any final decision

to receive

Or

the point previous to my

own departure from.

China; neither has up to the date

any

been obtained

of the last advices from thence; a period of nearly two

years

from the time the ground was bought

by

Mie

From the preceding statement and documents (which latter are ready to be produced) the state of the

case will

clearly appear, and it seems unnecessary comment upon there. No.

to make

any Cause of complaint ever was, or could be made as to any of my proceedings the ground, after it was transferred to

me by the Government.

of

A

Sir

ground

Tha

Henry Pottinger's procedure was

assertion (to which the usual practice

A

in such cases gave.

1/513

gave no foundation) that Captain Meik had forfeited his Title to sell the Land; and he has therefore. hitherto nullified the acts of the Government Authorities constibuted by. himself, acting in a matter in which they

me

specially, by public Notification, authorized by him to act ; this leaving who had received the ground from the Government,

as evidenced by their

documents delivered to me,

heavy loss, without

informing

to suffer a

2.

any indemnity and

at the same time that these

Government Documents "do not in the opinion.

" of "His Excellmay give

me the slightest

claim to the ground beyond any

(

2

applicant

other

This affair gave

universal astonishments in the Colony.

the time, as

every

holder of Lands felt.

that however formal might be his Title the same principle,

to them, it was, on

liable to be set aside by the Governor

who granted it, or

any succeeding

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