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Enclosure No. 2 to Despatch No. 184 of the 8th. Apri 109.
Extract from the "Hongkong Daily Press" of the 10391
27th. March, 1903.
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THE ADMIRALTY DOCK QUESTION.
DEPUTATION TO THE GOVERNOR.
H. E. the Governor Sir Henry A. Blake, G.C.M.G., yesterday received a deputation from the community with reference to the proposed removal of the Admiralty Dock from its present position. The interview took place in the Council Chamber, His Excellency being accom- panied by Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G., Colonia] Secretary. The deputation was as follows:- Sir C. P. Chater (Chairman),. Hon. C. W. Dickson, Messrs. W. Poate, J. R. M. Smith, T. P. Cochrane, H. E. Pollock, E. A. Hewett, W. Danby, A. G. Wood, Hon, G. Stewart, Messrs. D. E. Brown, E. W. Mitchell, Hon. R. Shewan, Messrs. H. E. Tomkins, A. Forbes, G. Balloch, and J. H. Lewis.
Sir PAUL CHATER, addressing His Excel- lency, said he proposed to lay before him what had happened with regard to the removal of the Dock from where it is now to some other place. The public ware beginning now to realise what a vital obstacle the Dock would be to the growth of the Colony if it was allowed to remain where it is now, and they had spontaneously arranged that a meeting should be called to discuss the question; and although only two days' notice was given, at this meeting no less than-in fact rather more than--100 gentle- men assembled, representing almost the whole of the commercial and shipping interests of the Colony, and decided uuanimously that a petition should be drawn up and forwarded to the Rt. Hon. the Secretary of State through His Excellency's kind offices, and, it was hoped by the Committee, with His Excellency's support The meeting not only decided that a petition should be drawn up and forwarded but that as SOON as it was ready and handed to His Excellency, he should be asked to wire the substance of the petition to the Secretary of State. The reason for that was that there had teen ruwonra for some time of differences exist- ing betweeen the naval and military authorities with regard to certain laud connected with the Dock scheme. He understood also that it was likely that a Royal Commission might be appointed to investigate these matters and their object in asking His Excellency to telegraph the substance of the petition home was that in case the Commission was about to be appointed its scope might be extended so as to not only arrange matters between the Colonial Office, the War Office aud the Navy but also to go into the question of the removal of the Dock from its present position to some- where else. The Committee before proceeding to do anything on the subject decided to report to His Excellency exactly what had happened and see if he would help them in any way with regard to the drawing up of the peti. tion. That was as far as they had goue, With regard to the obstacle that the Dock would be to the growth of the Colony, that was as well
kuown to His Excellency as to the public he
The growth of the Colony eastwarde had lod, AY 03! stopped for many years, and would continue to -| be in that position; eveu although the tram- lines were going to be started, still be felt certain that the growth would not be anything like what it ought to be. He might point out that from Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's offices there was a mile or a mile and a half westwards where the land varied in value from $25 up to $45 per square foot. From Butterfield & Swire's offices this great Dock ran along to Arsenal Street, the very first block after that had been bought by the Navy, with huge buildings on the land, at about $6 per foot. That in itself would show how this tremendous break-this great line of demarcation, so to speak, between the East and the West-was affecting the East. Then it had been well known to most people that there was one great objection which had been falt once before and would be felt again as the Dock went on. Probably His Excellency would remember a case brought forward in the Police Court by a resident in Macdonnell Road in respect of a nuisance. What was the nuisance? The nuisance was the noise made by a steam- hammer used for driving piles at the Naval Yard Extension. If that was a nuisance, how much more would it be when the Dock was working there fully? On a summer's night it would be almost unbearable.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I think that was found not to be a nuisance.
Sir PAUL CHATER-No, sir; it was not found not to be a nuisance. But the case was withdrawn because, I think, the gentleman who brought it forward was a foreigner.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I do not think that can be entered into at all anyway. I remember the case perfectly.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY--If he had chosen to push his case I have no doubt be would have got a conviction, but he withdrew it.
Sir PAUL CHATER, continuing, said that at any rate the case was withdrawn and that was how the thing was closed. However, he might tell His Excellency that if this Dock was to be built where it is, the houses on Kennedy Road, Macdonnell Road aud Bowen Road would be absolutely uninhabitable. It would be impossible for people to live in these houses. Why, he thought Government House and Headquarter House would be worse still. These were the points so far as regards the inconvenience to the Colony. He was sure the Committee who were to draw up the petition would go into these points and they would only like to get His Excellency's support in the matter. His Excelloney might probably say: If this Dock is to be stopped and removed, where will it be removed to? Well, there were three sites they had in view, and it was the iden of the Committee that they should draw up schemes to place before this Commisson should it be appointed or before His Excellency. Whou
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