425
!
(10)
(c.) Every habitable room in a house to have at least one window opening out into the external air, such windows to be of a size not less than one tenth of the floor area of the room. (d.) Every human dwelling to be furnished with a suitable privy
placed in the back-yard.
(ix.) The Crown reserves to itself such portions of the reclamation as are required for the new streets and the new Praya, and the same, when constructed, shall remain the property of the Government.
(x.) That in the event of any marine lot-owner failing to take up his allot- ment, or to perform his contract or any portion thereof, in addition to the forfeiture of deposit as provided by the fourth condition, the con- tract shall be cancelled and all rights of the lot-holder thereunder shall cease and determine.
Subject to the foregoing provisions the Acting Governor would be prepared to meet the views and wishes of the marine lot-owners, and His Excellency will be happy to avail himself of your offer to act as an intermediary between them and the Government.
The Honourable C. P. CHATER,
&C.,
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
&c.,
Your most obedient Servant,
(4.)
FREDERICK STEWART, Acting Colonial Secretary.
(Mr. Chater's Circular to Lot-Chrners, )
Mr. C. P. CHATER invites the Owners and the Attorneys or Agents of absent Owners of Marine Lots west of the Swimming Bath, to meet him in the City Hall, on Saturday, the 17th instant, at 2.30 P.M. for the purpose of considering and dis- cussing the Project for the Reclamation of the Foreshore extending from the Gas Works to the Swimming Bath submitted by him to the Government in his letter to the Acting Colonial Secretary of the 13th July, 1887, and approved of by the Government with certain conditions and limitations as set forth in the Acting Colonial Secretary's letter to Mr. CHATER of the 11th August last.
These letters were published in the local papers on Friday and Saturday, the 12th and 13th August, aud copies of them and of this invitation have been posted to every Marine Lot-holder resident in the Colony, and to the Agent or Attorney of every absent Marine Lot-holder whose name and address could be ascertained.
The Plan dated 6th August last, referred to in the Acting Colonial Secretary's letter is, from this date, on exhibition in the room of the Chamber of Commerce at the City Hall, and is open to the inspection of all persons interested.
It shows the minimum quantity of reclaimed land to which each Marine Lot- holder will be entitled under the scheme.
Mr. C. P. CHATER will be glad to receive on or before Saturday, the 10th instant, communications in writing from all persons interested, embodying:
(a.) Objections to the scheme in whole or part.
(b.) Suggestions for its improvement or amendment in any direction. (c.) Pointing out any matters in connection therewith that stand in need
of explantation or development.
( 11 )
Mr. CHATER invites these communications that, in his capacity as intermediary between the Government and the Lot-holders, and to enable him the better to serve both parties, be may have an opportunity before the Meeting on the 17th September, of submitting any proposed alterations or modifications to the Govern- ment, and be in a better position at the Meeting to answer questions, and discuss the amendments that may be proposed.
Owners of Marine Lots and Attorneys or Agents of Owners who have not received the Circular letter and copy of the correspondence above referred to are earnestly requested to apply at once to Mr. C. P. CHATER, stating the numbers of the lots for which they are agents, when copies will be forwarded without delay.
Hongkong, 3rd September, 1887.
SAL
(5.)
(Mr. Chuter to Colonial Secretary.)
HONGKONG, 6th October, 1887.
With reference to previous correspondence on the subject of the Praya Re- clamation Project and in conformity with His Excellency the Acting Governor's desire that I should act in the capacity of intermediary or negociator between the Government and the Marine Lot-owners, I have the honour to inform you that I duly invited the Marine Lot-holders' views and opinions on the Government con- ditions, and that the only questions and objections that have so far reached me from them are contained in the documents which I now beg to forward for the information of the Government, and which are marked respectively A, B, C, D, E, and F.
By the enclosure marked A you will see that the Chinese portion of the Marine Lot-owners have held a meeting to consider the Government conditions and that they have passed a series of Resolutions embodying the whole of their objections.
To facilitate matters between all parties I venture to submit the following observations on the points raised in enclosure in the belief that my suggestions, if adopted, will secure the general adherence of the Lot-owners to the Project without after all entailing on the Government any very substantial sacrifice.
Resolution 1.-I would recommend that this be granted,
Resolution 2.-If the Government is not prepared to waive the preliminary deposit of 25 per cent that at all events the contractors first calls for payment on account of work executed be met from the preliminary deposits until the latter are exhausted, when calls can be made on the Lot-owners direct for the balances re- quired. The Lot-owners to receive 10 days' notice in the Government Guzelte of each intended call.
Resolution 3.-The Marine Lot-owners appear not to have any objection to the inner road being of the width of 75 feet as they realize the necessity of having a broad street where it is proposed to have the tram-roads laid down, but I think it would be advisable if the Government modify their ideas about the width of the outer road so as to meet the views of the Marine Lot-owners, if not entirely, at least by a compromise, which certainly might be done without detracting from the beauty of the city, the value of the ground being naturally a matter of grave importance to the owners.
Resolution 4.--I would venture to suggest to the Government that here again and for the same reason as specified above, the ideas of the Land-owners should be met, and I do not think it would be unreasonable having due regard to the laws of Sanitation, to enforce a back-yard of 10 feet in width where the houses do not exceed 60 feet in depth.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.