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11.

Later on the writer (Crown Solicitor) suggested that as the terms of the leases were becoming short, the lessees might be willing to surrender their Marine Lot leases with all the shadowy rights of Marine access attaching thereto, for Inland

Lot leases for extended terms of years.

An offer in this sense was made but rejected. All these negotiations were conducted without admitting any right in the lessees to marine access.

12.

Subsequently the Building Authority, by direction of the Colonial Secretary, delayed the approval of some plans for re- building some of the houses fronting the sea: this delay was the subject of an action brought by the lessees against the Building Authority, which was finally compromised by payment of

a sum of money.

13.

By reason of the numerous reclamations along the shores

of the Kowloon Peninsula it was found that the old building

level was too low to allow of drainage and prevent flooding of

sewers &c, and a general scheme for raising the level of Kowloon.

was prepared by the Director of Public Works and approved by

the Governor in 1907, since when all new and reconstructed

buildings have been adapted to the new levels. The public

roads have also been raised to the new levels as occasion served

14. The Government had until last year no statutory powers for

closing, diverting or altering the levels of roads, and no

trouble in this respect ever arose until last year, when the

Government having been advised that it had no power to close a

public street introduced the Highways Ordinance to which re-

ference will be made later on.

15. In 1906 many of the houses on Kowloon Marine Lots 29, 30

and 31 fronting on Reclamation Street were seriously damaged in

the great typhoon, and subsequently a number of them were des-

troyed by fire, More than half of the houses on these lots

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