CO129-312 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [7-9] — Page 144

No.345.

Hongkong.

C. O.

142

36395

Government House

! SEP

Hongkong, 1st. August, 1902.

Too

Sir,

26896

losure.

With reference to your telegram of the

14th. ultimo, a transcription of which is attached, I have the

honour to inform you that in May last the Agents in the Colony

of the Tramway Company applied to purchase the land referred

to. The land is occupied for the storage of heavy material

for the water and drainage department and for other purposes

connected with Public Works. There is also a cottage on it

which is occupied by the sexton of the Protestant Cemetery in

the Happy Valley. There being no other Crown Land available

in the vicinity for the storage purposes referred to, the

Director of Public Works strongly opposed the sale of the land,

and the Agents of the Tramway withdrew their application.

2.

Upon receipt of your telegram, I asked

the Director of Public Works to endeavour to meet the wishes

of the Tramway Company if such could be done without prejudice

to the interests of the Colony, and Mr. Chatham reported in

due course that the land applied for, containing an area of

50,000 square feet, might be sold at $3 per square foot. He

calculated that it would cost the Goverment as much to provide

itself with other land in the vicinity for its storage and

other purposes.

3.

I sanctioned an addition being made to

Cover

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,