CO129-391 - Acting Governor Claud Severn Governor Sir May - 1912 [7-8] — Page 441

C. COPY.

Enclosure 3.

Magistru.

sir,

Hongkong, 17th. May,

430

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt

of your letter No. 1630/10 dated 30th. April, 1910, forwarding

the decision of the Executive Council of this Government on the

subject of reforming the Public Houses in this Colony together

with the Law Officers' opinion on the matter.

2.

The letter with its onclosures was consider-

-ed by the Licensing Board at a meeting held on May 11th. when

the following resolutions were unanimously adopted by the Board:

(1). That without recognizing the right of any

licensee to the renewal of his licence in the

interval, notice should be given to each licensec

that the licence for his premises will not be

renewed after November 30th., 1915.

(2). That in the meantime steps be taken to ascertain

the marketable value of the business of each

licenace with a view to the possible acquisitior

of any of the licensed promises by a Public

House Trust.

3.

It will be noted that the Board has modi

the decision contained in the resolution forwarded in my le

dated 17th. March, 1910, and in lieu of different lengths wi time being allowed has decided that the fairest way of dealių. with the question of compensation is to give five years' notice:

to all the licensees.

4.

follows:-

The reasons for this modification are as

(A.) Although the amounts paid for the goodwil)

vary yet the length of time which should be allowed to the purchasers to recoup their

is practically the sane in all cases.