CO129-604-2 Crown Leases 23-2-1948 - 6-11-1948 — Page 32

Secretariat file No.85/3091/48

No. 180.

Dry on 54439/5/48.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG

240 July, 1948.

5.

32

tagged in

abt, 1908 (rd 11).

Sir,

I have the honour to request your permission for the sale by private treaty to the KUN HANG Public School Committee of KUN HANG in the New Territories of a piece of land measuring approximately 2,450 sq.ft. at KUN HANG, on the terms and conditions set out in the enclosure, for the purpose of construction of a school.

2.

The school will provide education for the children of three neighbouring villages and will be subsidised by Government. This project will further the spread of education in the New Territories,

3.

The sale of land in undeveloped parts of the New Territories without recourse to public auction and without reference to you was sanctioned in Lord Creve's Despatch No. 14 of the 22nd January, 1909, a summary of which has been preserved In my records and is reproduced below:-

40

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Each case to be submitted to the Government for approval.

The Land Officer to certify that, to the best of his knowledge, there is no probability of competition, and that the applicant is the only person interested,

Any area so dealt with is not to exceed:-

In the case of Building land 1,000 sq.ft.

In the case of Agricultural land 1/8th of an acre.

Such sales to be limited to bona fide applications from Chinese for their om occupation in places where there is not a likelih¬od of much development in the nei glìbourhood.

Insofar as the area required in this case exceeds one thousand square feet, I have felt it necessary to refer the application to you. At the same time, it occurs to me that you may be disposed to widen the authority granted by Lord Crewe's despatch under reference so as to allow for grants of land in the New Territories by private treaty without reference to you where the area exceeds 1,000 square feet and where the grant is for educational or charitable purposes. A ruling of this nature would eliminate a good deal of correspondence of a largely formal

nature.

RECEIVED.

-3 AUG 1948

C.O. REGY.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

A. CREECH JONES, M.P.

27%

I have the honour to be,

Sir.

Your most obedient, humble servant,

20.164C,

A. G. GRANTHAM

GOVERNOR.