CO129-218 - Administrator Marsh Governor Sir Bowen & Others - 1884 [11-12] — Page 647

as a reason

tid a

lease on

for not

granting might be able to realize

large profit

" lase terms "that we

our investments at a

and that

gain

the Government ought to share ons, An instance tous brought forward of a lot of unimproved land that had changed handa recently at a high price and to this I replied pointing out as a eet off that several loto of improved land had been sold by other "lotholders at a loss.

That Mr. Daganaer

had lost over $5000 is the sale of his lot And bungalow quite recently. And that in my own case I had been expending money on my lot lince 1868. It is all planted with trees fetched from all parts of the East at a Cost of over $13000 upon which I have received no retion whatever. – The highest offer I have ever received for it and that since the new lease has been conditionally granted has been $12000 or $1000 less than the principal money invested. Had this #13000 been trivested in

the

trade or even in land in Victoria Stonghong it would have trebled itself in the timb

But it es happens that one of loto I have instances for which a Rural Building lease was granted in place of

I quatters license was cold immediate - - by afterwards by its owner for eynally larg

sum as the one cited at Howloons. This circumstances however was not need a

a Rural

a

Aus

an argument agames granting Building

Leave

-version

in the other and later con- oted at the Platin

The Government could not consist- -cutly claim a share of the gains made bef by lucky Crown Lessus without granting com- -pensation to the sunlucky ones. Such a principle could not work in practice - If the Cotholders or some of them to maken a good thing by getting Rural Building Lever,

*)

hera

trees.

I think they deserve it. They made the place they attracted the attention of Capitalists to it and they will have been the means of making adjoining lands fetch much higher prices. Than they otherwise would have done 643

In my own case I commenced improving

attracked at Howloon as far back as 1868 being thereto by occasionally using spots chiltered by trees an

pic.

c. me or everention groun do. I at first squatted without any title in the Vecinity of a small flimese village at Teim Teat Tsui and I thought the land belonged to the Villagers for the sindigenous trees close to the village

of great size and age land for The villagers occupied the open Agricutural and pastoral purposes and af about 6 acres of

I spent a good deal in improving this and ultimately was Called upon to take out a Sgnatters licence for it. — de 1873 I came #England and on

mny retum & the Colony in 1874 I found that a movement towards settlement had been made On 14 yours toural Garden Lot Leases and that my representative had exchanged auf Squatters license for a warden Lot Lease for my holding of about 6 acres. was a free grant to me in consideration of the time I had been in possession September 187Hf the Chinese Village was entiroly swept away by a by schoon except one cottage. — Shortly afterwards Aeveral New people applied for Garden Loto and the Surveyor General Constructed roada applied for. and put up the land as There was no competition and the Colo wers knocked down to the Selectors in nearly every Cuse eather without an adresse bit. This I am sure would have hem equally the

The lease

*