CO129-033 - General Stavely - Lieut. Governor - 1850 [5-8] — Page 412

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

3. other, have in regard to the nonsubdivision of the lots, (which has also been complained of as a disadvantage), will have vanished.

I have hitherto considered the sum paid annually to Government by the lessee of each parcel of ground termed rent; but it may be doubted whether it is right to call it by such a name. Land does not necessarily produce any rent, and until its productiveness or unproductiveness, or that of land similar in all respects, has been tested, it cannot be certainly said that it will afford rent. Rent is the surplus produced above the cost of production.

If a person borrows a piece of land belonging to another, builds a house costing £1000, the market rate of interest being five per cent, and the cost of repairs four per cent; and finds a tenant who will pay £120 per year for his house, it is obvious that he cannot afford to pay any ground-rent at all to the owner of the land; though he can afford to pay all that he gets beyond this sum.

But it has been shown that when lands were bought here, no judgment could have been formed as to whether any lot would or would not afford permanent ground-rent; in fact, it turned out that lots for which the highest rentals were bid were not in some instances the most valuable. It was the eagerness of the demand, caused by the circumstances above described, that raised the prices.

Had everyone been permitted to build where he liked, and a rent been afterwards assessed on the lands, the proportional payments would now be very different from what they are. There is a question whether the total sum accruing to Government from rents paid in their present unequal proportions is much less than the sum of the annual rents of all the properties.

Page 19

406

AVCR(85)72

Edit History

2026-05-17 17:20:58 · NVIDIA / meta/llama-4-maverick-17b-128e-instruct
Live
View comparison
AI Proofread
3. other, have in regard to the nonsubdivision of the lots, (which has also been complained of as a disadvantage), will have vanished. I have hitherto considered the sum paid annually to Government by the lessee of each parcel of ground termed rent; but it may be doubted whether it is right to call it by such a name. Land does not necessarily produce any rent, and until its productiveness or unproductiveness, or that of land similar in all respects, has been tested, it cannot be certainly said that it will afford rent. Rent is the surplus produced above the cost of production. If a person borrows a piece of land belonging to another, builds a house costing £1000, the market rate of interest being five per cent, and the cost of repairs four per cent; and finds a tenant who will pay £120 per year for his house, it is obvious that he cannot afford to pay any ground-rent at all to the owner of the land; though he can afford to pay all that he gets beyond this sum. But it has been shown that when lands were bought here, no judgment could have been formed as to whether any lot would or would not afford permanent ground-rent; in fact, it turned out that lots for which the highest rentals were bid were not in some instances the most valuable. It was the eagerness of the demand, caused by the circumstances above described, that raised the prices. Had everyone been permitted to build where he liked, and a rent been afterwards assessed on the lands, the proportional payments would now be very different from what they are. There is a question whether the total sum accruing to Government from rents paid in their present unequal proportions is much less than the sum of the annual rents of all the properties. Page 19 406 AVCR(85)72
Baseline (Original)
18. 3 other, have in regard to the nonsubdivision of the lots, (which also been complained of as disadvantage), will have vanished t a I have hitherto considered the sum as ren penh paid annually to Govenment by the lesser of each parcel of ground termed; but it may be doubted whether it has for so it is ang right to such a namò. Land does rents, and until not meccesarily produced any its productiveness or unproductiveness, or that of land similar in all respects, has been "tested, it cannot be certainly said that it will afford pont. Rent is the susplus produced abwe the cock of production. If a borrows piece of land belonging to Quaid on a another, build a house pounds, the market costing 0100) thousand? ket rate of interest being sight and the cost of repairs four por cont; and him caunch On 820) pounds a find a tenant who will than w bue hundred and pay twenty year for his hones, it is obvious 406 19 that he cannot afford to pay any ground-rent at all to the owner Caw of the land; though be afford to pay all that he gets beyond this fum. But it has been shown that wher lands here AVCR OI thestimate could bought, no jush have been formed as to whether Ed would or would not a ground any lot of afford permanent . rent; in fach it turned out that lots for which the highest pentals wow bid, ivers) in Lome instances the beast valuables. It dvas the greataces of the demand, caused above described, that raised T Hard encry the pries. as ritted to build where beens pornsite he liked, and a pent been afterwards assessed on the lands, the proportional payments would now be from what they a determining ard. There very different of are ao OU COAS whether the total sum accncing in from acut's paids to Government six their present unequal proportions is nacio less than the sum of the sixtural ponts of all the compied
2026-05-17 17:20:58 · Baseline
View content

18.

3

other, have in

regard to the nonsubdivision of

the lots, (which also been complained of as disadvantage), will have vanished t

a

I have hitherto considered the sum

as ren

penh

paid annually to Govenment by the lesser of each parcel of ground termed; but it may be doubted whether it

has

for

so it is

ang right to such a namò. Land does

rents, and until

not meccesarily produced any its productiveness or unproductiveness, or that of land similar in all respects, has been "tested, it cannot be certainly said that it will afford pont. Rent is the susplus produced abwe the cock of production. If a borrows piece of land belonging to

Quaid on a

another, build a house

pounds,

the market

costing

0100)

thousand?

ket rate of interest being

sight and the cost of repairs four por cont;

and

him

caunch

On 820)

pounds a

find a tenant who will

than

w bue

hundred and

pay

twenty

year for his hones, it is obvious

406 19

that he cannot afford to pay any ground-rent

at all to the owner

Caw

of the land; though be

afford to pay all that he gets beyond

this fum. But it has been shown that wher

lands here

AVCR OI

thestimate could

bought, no jush

have been formed as to whether

Ed would or would not a

ground

any lot of afford permanent .

rent; in fach it turned out that lots for which the highest pentals wow bid,

ivers)

in Lome instances the beast valuables. It

dvas

the greataces of the demand, caused

above described, that raised

T

Hard encry

the pries.

as

ritted to build where

beens pornsite

he liked, and a pent been afterwards

assessed on the lands, the proportional

payments would now be from what they a

determining

ard. There

very different

of

are ao OU COAS

whether the total sum accncing

in

from acut's paids to Government six their present unequal proportions

is nacio

less than the

sum of the sixtural ponts of all the compied

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.