CO129-582-1 Administration of the port of Hong Kong 25-7-1939 - 20-1-1940 — Page 2

C.L.

Gov.

53995/39

ILL

چہ

2. P= J. Northcote

2

3.339

Bo.

25.7.39

* But these rights are surely not a consequence of The reclamation schemes. the aratically, they high must have derived from the leases of existed all along af

matter

of equity

a

The schemes only brought out the tad of their existence? They will clearly

Lapse in 1949 at latest.

NYSA.

-

In the past the development of the port of

Hong Kong has been left almost entirely to private

enterprise (apart, of course, from the construction

of the Canton Kowloon railway and its linking up with the Canton-Hankow line), and Mr. Nicol's report,

which forms enclosure 2 to this despatch, presents a

summary picture of the port as it is today.

Briefly stated, the position is that

numerous piers of greatly varying design and utility

have been constructed around the port to serve

particular trades. Of these the reat majority are

privately owned, and are either leased as permanent

piers, in which case the rights are due to expire

on December 31st, 1949, or else they are leased on

annual licences as temporary piers: and in this case

the licences may at any time be cancelled by Govern-

ment without compensation on due notice being given.

The successive reclamation schemes for building

purposes have given rise to what are termed Marine

existence

X

frontage rights, and the extent of these schemes

which are entertained by Government has made it

impossible to develop the harbour frontage to its

best advantage, for the knowledge that heavy com-

pensation might have to be met has at times deterred

Government