CO129-542-3 Foreshore and Sea-bed Works Bill- correspondence 9-1-1933 - 16-8-1933 — Page 51

MR. CONFIDENTIAL

Sir.

Ansel

ARC

ED

ST

2 MAY 1933

GOL. VICE

*

12717/1

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONG KONG, 29th March, 1933.

With reference to your telegram No. 21 of the

23rd February, 1933, on the subject of the Foreshore and

Seabed Works Bill, I have the honour to forward a copy

of the bill as revised by a Committee of Executive Council,

and approved, after full consideration, by the whole Council.

2. The bill like the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinances

No.10 of 1900 and No.27 of 1930, and the Foreshore and

92583/24/32 Seabed Ordinances, No.15 of 1901 and No.26 of 1932, and

also the Straits Settlements Ordinance No.69 (Foreshores),

is general in its application and is in accordance with

the recognised principle of English law that owners of land

may be required by the legislature to surrender for

purposes of public utility some or all of the rights they

possess over their land. In the case of specially large

but concentrated undertakings, such as the Harbour of

Refuge, No.39 of 1909, and the Praya East Reclamation No.

17 of 1921, it has been found convenient to proceed by

special Ordinance. But in a Colony of the geographical

formation of Hong Kong there are many schemes, for example

approaches to vehicles and passenger ferries, which render

a general bill essential to the proper planning and develop-

ment of the Colony. The adequate protection of the

THE IGHT HONOURABLE

SIR P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER, G.B.E., M.C., M.P.,

&C.,

&c.,

&c.

harbour