CO129-538-3 Development of Government sites and rebuilding of Government buildings 17-12-1931 - 22-10-1932 — Page 41

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of $530,000.

8.

It is not considered necessary to proceed immediately

with the building of a new City Hall.

This matter is not

of great urgency since owing to its condition the present

building has for some time been little used. When the new

Government House is finished it is proposed that the present

shall

Government House/be made available for use as a City Hall

during the interval which will elapse before the second stage

It is considered that the

of the scheme is completed.

recently reconstructed ball-room and offices will as a temporary measure be adequate for the purposes for which the City Hall

has been used in the past.

9. I therefore request your authority to proceed with

negotiations for the inception of that part of the scheme which deals with the disposal of the City Hall and Beaconsfield

Arcade sites and the rebuilding of Government House. This will involve also the acquisition of Inland Lot 564.

10. I should be glad also to receive your consent to the acquisition of Inland Lot 580 at present owned by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, an opportunity for which now presents itself. The Bank is prepared to hand over this

lot to Government in part payment for the area required for

extension of its present premises.

One of two houses on

the lot has been demolished as it had become unsafe and it is

of the utmost importance to the future development of the Colony

that this area should be laid out in such a way as not to

interfere with access to the middle and upper levels. has been valued provisionally at $622,750.

11.

The lot

The scheme has been considered by the unofficial

members of the Legislative Council in the Public Works Committee

of