HongKong, 11th January, 1896.
SIR,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, informing me that the stones referred to in my letter of the 30th ultimo, have been replaced, and I have to thank you for your attention to the matter.
Reverting to our correspondence of last year, and to the last paragraph of your letter to me under date of the 17th September, in which you state that His Excellency the Governor declines further to discuss the question of compensation until the construction of the Reclamation in front of Marine Lot 184 may enable him to deal with the subject as a whole-
I am advised that when damage, through the construction of the Reclamation works, can be shown, the time for compensation to be assessed has arrived.
Such damage can now be shown: for, the contingency, foreshadowed in my previous letters that owners of cargo boats would not long run the risk of having their boats damaged by grounding on the silted up foreshore in front of our godowns, and that owners of cargo would not pay the extra coolie hire necessitated by having cargo for our godowns landed opposite to the Gas Works, has now become an accomplished fact.
And, as a matter of fact, our basement godowns have not one-third of their space occupied, a circumstance hitherto unknown since our business was commenced in 1886.
I have therefore to ask if His Excellency will now deal with the subject of compensation?
Seeing that it is nearly seven years since the Reclamation Ordinance was passed, and nearly four years since the Government advertised for Tenders for the construction of the Reclamation in front of our Lot; and knowing, as I do, how I have been prevented from developing our business as intended because of the delay of the Government in settling the compensation; and knowing too that the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company was paid $105,000 long ago for a strip of the reclaimed foreshore required merely to widen the existing roadway, and not for damage sustained, as in our case; I submit that any longer delay will be an injustice to us, which I trust His Excellency, as the representative of the consenting Marine Lot-holders, will not permit.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
THOS. HOWARD,
18 BANK BUILDINGS, Hongkong, January 31st, 1896.
His Excellency SIR WILLIAM ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.,
Governor of Hongkong.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Referring to the recent correspondence that has passed between Mr. Howard and the Honourable the Colonial Secretary with reference to the depreciation of the property known as Marine Lot No. 184 caused by interference of access thereto by the works of Reclamation, I have to inform you that Mr. Howard having handed to me the whole of the correspondence with reference thereto I have consulted counsel on the subject and he has advised that the time has now arrived for the assessment of compensation-that the owners are entitled to have such compensation assessed and that the duty devolves upon you under the Ordinance of enquiring into the damages taking all necessary evidence on both sides and assessing the damage.
I have therefore now to request that Your Excellency will see fit to proceed forthwith to enquire into and ascertain what compensation the owners of Marine Lot No. 184 are entitled to through the progress of the Praya Reclamation works and to assess the compensation payable to the owners in respect thereof under the provisions of section 7 sub-section 6 of the Praya Reclamation Ordinance 1889, being Ordinance No. 16 of 1889.
SIR,
I have the honour to be,
Your Excellency's obedient and humble Servant,
MATTHEW J. D. STEPHENS.
18, BANK BUILDINGS,
HONGKONG, 31st January, 1896.
Enclosed I have the honour to hand you a letter which I find it necessary to address to His Excellency the Governor and I shall be much obliged by your forwarding same to him.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
MATTHEW J. D. STEPHENS.
The Honourable J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
No. 108.
SIR,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 16th January, 1896.
In reply to your letter of the 11th instant, I am directed to refer you to my letter No. 1893 of the 17th September last, to which I have nothing further to add,
T. HOWARD, Esq.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
No. 230.
SIR,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 5th February, 1896.
In reply to the enclosure of your letter of the 31st ultimo, I am directed to inform you that this Government denies that access to Marine Lot No. 184 has been interfered with by the Reclamation works.
M. J. D. STEPHENS, Esq.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
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653
SIR,
HongKoxo, 11th January, 1896.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, informing me that the stones referred to in my letter of the 30th ultimo, have been replaced, and I have to thank you for your attention to the matter.
Reverting to our correspondence of last year, and to the last paragraph of your letter to me under date of the 17th September, in which you state that His Excellency the Governor declines further to discuss the question of compensation until the construction of the Reclamation in front of Marine Lot 184 may enable him to deal with the subject as a whole-
I am advised that when damage, through the construction of the Reclamation works, can be shown, the time for compensation to be assessed has arrived.
Such damage can now be shown: for, the contingency, foreshadowed in my previous letters that owners of eargo boats would not long run the risk of having their boats damaged by grounding on the silted up foreshore in front of our flodowns, and that owners of cargo would not pay the extra coolie hire necessitat- ed by having cargo for our Godowns landed opposite to the Gas Works, has now become au accomplished ther.
And, as a matter of fact, our basement Godowns have not one-third of their space occupied, a circumstance bitherto unknown since our business was commenced in 1886.
I have therefore to ask if His Excellency will now deal with the subject of compensation?
Seeing that it is nearly seven years since the Reclamation Ordinance was passed, and nearly four years since the Government advertised for Tenders for the construction of the Reclamation in front of our Lot; and knowing, as I do, how I have been prevented from developing our business as intended because of the delay of the Government in settling the compensation; and knowing too that the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company was paid $105,000 long ago for a strip of the reclaimed foreshore required merely to widen the existing roadway, and not for damage sustained, as in our case; I submit that any longer delay will be an injustice to us, which I trust His Excellency, as the representative of the consenting Marine Lot-holders, will not permit.
I have the honour to be.
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
THOS. HOWARD,
18 BANK BUILDINGS, Hosokosa, January 31st, 1896.
His Excellency SIR WILLIAM ROBINSON, K.C.M.Gng
Governor of Hongkong.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Referring to the recent correspondence that has passed between Mr. Howard and the Honourable the Colonial Secretary with reference to the depreciation of the property known as Marine Lot No. 184 caused by interference of access there- to by the works of Reclamation, I have to inform you that Mr. Howard having handed to me the whole of the correspondence with reference thereto I have con- sulted counsel on the subject and he has advised that the time has now arrived for the assessment of compensation-that the owners are entitled to have such compensation assessed and that the duty devolves upon you under the Ordinance of enquiring into the damages taking all necessary evidence ou both sides and assessing the damage.
I have therefore now to request that Your Excellency will see fit to proceed forthwith to enquire into and ascertain what compensation the owners of Marine Lot No. 184 are entitled to through the progress of the Praya Reclamation works and to assess the compensation payable to the owners in respect thereof under the provisions of section 7 sub-section 6 of the Praya Reclaination Ordinancz 1889, being Ordinance No. 16 of 1889.
SIR,
I have the honour to be,
Your Excelleney's obedient and humble Servant,
MATTHEW J. D. STEPHENS.
18, BANK BUILDINGS,
HONGKONG, 31st January, 1896.
Enclosed I have the honour to hand you a letter which I find it necessary to address to His Excellency the Governor and I shall be much obliged by your forwarding same to him.
I
am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
The Honourable J. H. Stewart LockhaRT.
Colonial Secretary.
MATTHEW J. D. STEPHENS.
The Honourable J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
No. 108.
SIR,
Colonial Secretary,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 16th January, 1896.
In reply to your letter of the 11th instant, 1 am directed to refer you to my letter No. 1893 of the 17th September last, to which I have nothing further to add,
T. HOWARD, Esq.
I have the honour to be.
Sir,
Your inost obedient Servant,
J. II. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
No. 230.
SIR,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 5th February, 1896.
In reply to the enclosure of your letter of the 31st ultimo, 1 am directed to inform you that this Government denies that access to Marine Lot No. 184 has been interfered with by the Reclamation works.
M. J. D. STEPuess, Esq.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
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