CO129-317 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [4-6] — Page 426

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relinquishment of which made the land more valuable to the

Colony, which might fairly be asked to credit the War Depart- ment with the difference in value, having regard to the purpose for which it was required. But this does not mean that land

permanently alienated for a public park is worth what the

remaining portion is worth that will ultimately be sold for

building.

I feel strongly that it would not be equitable to

ask the Colony to pay anything but a nominal value for this

land and I venture to hope that you will adopt the same view.

Reference is made in Mr. May's letter to

5.

a proposal by Colonel Brown that the War Department should be

compensated for agreeing, if they do agree, to a nominal value

being set upon the 'King's Park', by being granted certain

reclamation rights in Hunghom Bay in front of Gun Club Hill.

This is a proposition to which I cannot assent for

the reasons stated in the letter. Moreover, Gun Club Hill

Barracks stand on a hill well above the level of the sea and

separated from it by a wide roadway. It is not possible,

therefore, for a reclamation to seriously interfere with the

Day of and Toby, 1900. 798 of 8th March

Barracks.

6.

Mount Cochrane which was the subject of

the correspondence noted in the margin, has been introduced

into the exchanges by my permission. It is an area which the

Colonial Government has long desired to possess in order to

facilitate the development of the Western side of the Kowloon

Peninsula which district is growing more rapidly than any

you the

1900.

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other portion of the Colony.

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