CO129-414 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [10-11] — Page 83

N° 359

Sir,

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4928J

REC

REG? | DEC 1

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 30th October, 1914.

F

78

With reference to Sir F. Lugard's despatch No.134 of the 15th May, 1908, I have the honour to inform you that the Dairy Farm Company has applied for a lease of the portion of crown land (shewn in red on the accompanying plan) adjoining the Company's town depot as a site for an extension of their premises.

2.

I have been hitherto unwilling to dispose of this area of crown land because it formed the only open space in a con- gested neighbourhood, and I considered it undesirable in the inter- ests of the general health of the community that tenement houses should be erected in such close proximity to the Dairy Farm Com- pany's central depot.

3.

The Company, however, requires the site in order to extend their present premises which cannot cope with their increas- ing business, and also to provide quarters for their Chinese employees who distribute their products throughout the City, and who will, I understand, in order to minimise the risk of infection, be

required to reside in the quarters under European supervision.

As the Company acquired the site of their present

premises without auction in order to encourage the establishment of

an industry beneficial to the health of the community, I consider

it would be harsh to insist on their buying the area in question at

an auction sale. I recommend therefore that they be granted a

4.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P..

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