126
COP I.
To
The Honourable
Enclosure No. 5 to Governor's Despatch
No. 407 of the 14th October, 1901.
1. Sercombe Smith,
Acting Colonial Secretary,
Hongkong.
Sir,
Hongkong, 21st June, 1901.
We, the undersigned, being immediately concerned in Buildings and Public Works in the Colony, beg respectfully to draw the attention of the Government to the conditions under which alone granite stone is now procurable for such works, and to suggest a remedy for the defects therein.
3.
Granite is the only stone procurable in the Colony. It is of excellent quality and unlimited in quantity. Under proper conditions it would be much more largely used than it is in Works of the Colony. It would also be largely exported for use elsewhere.
3.
The quarries are at present let annually by auction to the highest bidder. He has the sole and entire right to quarry and sell granite. Should others embark in the trade it can only be by arrangement with him and on payment of royalties to him.
4.
This system is extremely harmful to the Colony. It restricts the quantity of stone procurable to a certain limited amount. Consequently the works of the district in which granite is employed are being seriously delayed. There are few countries in the world where the natural building material cannot be quarried and sold freely.
5.
The amount of building and engineering work now being done in the Colony is very large and will shortly be materially increased; the grave evils arising from restricted supply will consequently be much accentuated.
8.
The cost of granite has, under these conditions, risen to an unduly high level. This is inevitable as the system is in effect a monopoly granted to an individual.
As an indication of the working results of the system the price of granite has increased within the past twelve months by at least 50 per cent. Some part of this doubtless is due to rise in the cost of labour, but the greater part is due to the largely increased demand and the restricted supply caused by the monopoly.
.921
ONC
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59.oni ed bied
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:
COP I.
To
The Honourable
Enclosure No. 5. to Governor's Despatch
No. 407 of the 14th. October,
1901.-
1. Sercombe Smith,
Acting Colonial Secretary,
Hongkong.
Sir,
Hongkong, 21st, June, 1901.
126
We, the undersigned, being immediately concerned in Buildings and Public Works in the Colony, beg respectfully to draw the attention of the Government to the conditions under which alone granite stone is now procurable for such works, and to suggest a remedy for the defects therein.
3.
Granite is the only stone procurable in the Colony. It is of excellent quality and unlimited in quantity. Under proper conditions it would be much more largely used than it is in Forks of the Colony. It would also be largely exported for use elsewhere.
3.
The quarries are at present let annually by auction to the highest bidder. He has the sole and entire right to quarry and sell granite. Should others embark in the trade it can only be by arrangement with him and on payment of royalties to bis.
4.
This system is extremely harmful to the Colony. It restricts the quantity of stone procurable to a certain limited amount. Consequently the works of the district in which granite is employed are being seriously delayed. There are few countries in the world where the natural building material cannot be guarried and sold freely.
སྐྱོ་
The amount of building and engineering work now being done in the Colony is very large and will shortly be materially in- creased; the grave evils arising from restricted supply will conse- quently be much accentuated.
8.
The cost of granite, has under these conditions, risen
to an unduly bigh level. This is inevitable as the system is in effect
a monopoly granted to an individual.
As an indication of the working results of the system the price of granite has increased within the past twelve months by at least 50 per cent. Some part of this doubtless is due to rise in the cost of labour, but the greater part is due to the largely in
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