CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 416

$

Brand

N°

222.

procreated

222 proposal approved

R2/12/16

Hele

18.1166

6.8.19.7.16

alomi

HONGKONG.

ة

32622

REC READ || JU

409

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

1st June, 1916.

C. D.

R. 20 JULI

D

sir.

With reference to paragraph 8 of Mr. Severn's despatch No. 366 of the 21st October, 1913, I have the honour to inform you that I propose to take proceedings for the resump- -tion of Inland Lot 1918 early next year. I have not done so hitherto for two reasons. In the first place before Morrison Hill and the lot in question could be resumed it was necessary to come to an agreement with Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.,Ltd., who had important interests in the neighbourhood of East Point and satisfactory arrangements have now been made in respect of their marine rights. In the second place the outbreak of war rendered it undesirable to incur any expenditure that was not absolutely necessary and the resumption of Inland Lot 1918 was not of great urgency as the carrying into effect of the reclama- -tion scheme was in abeyance for the time being.

2.

-J

At the date of the despatch under reference it was believed that the owners of the lot would be prepared to accept a sum of $53,000 for it, but recent correspondence with them shows that the sum required, if compulsory resumption for a public purpose has to be resorted to will be considerably greater. It has been represented to me that the actual disbursements made by the purchasers of the lot up to now are $55,455, as set out

in

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,

&0..

&c.,

&c...