35
Either then
holdings to be of use for purposes of exchange. the Memorialists are deliberately asking physical impossibilities or they have no idea of the contents of their Memorial. It is, further to be noted that the Memorial contains only one signature from the village of Kau Lung Tsai, (photograph D) which must shortly disappear, and one from that of Kau Lung Tong (photograph E) which has already ceased to be.
16.
The financial consequences of any radical
change of the Government's attitude on this question cannot but be most grave, since such a change must imply admission of past error and any concessions would have to be made retrospective for an indefinite period.
17.
As to future policy, the land boom is dead for the time being, and development by Government in the area under consideration reduced to the minimum necessary for round ing off works already in hand. Also the town- planning scheme has been so far carried into effect that development at a normal rate can largely be left to private enterprise. For these reasons I believe that little resumption will be necessary for some time to come. But, if the housing problem should again become as acute as it was in 1921 to 1924, I could not recommend any departure from the principle that compensation for agricultural land shall be based on its agricultural productivity. This might be more liberally estimated, but any admission of building potentialities into the calculation would render the cost
of development prohibitive. The allowance for compulsory sale abolished by Ordinance 9 of 1922 now incorporated in Section 11 A of Ordinance 10 of 1900 might be restored,
provided a limit of 10 per cent be fixed; and it should in
my opinion be made a rule that where building lots are resumed, new building lots should so far as possible be
offered
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.