CO129-619-6 Kai Tak Airfield- petition regarding compensation for loss of property 15-4-1948 - 3-6-1948 — Page 11

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4.

the surrender of the enemy be reinstated to the

individuels and that since the Government in continuing

to occupy the land as an aerodrome, should allot pro per

building or agriculture land to the dispossessed owners

in Exchange for their former properties es compensation.

(b) That since buildings were demolished to form en aerodrome

for whose value the Government has since been continuing

to occupy as such, the compensation for the loss of the

buildings should be paid by the Government and should

not be treated es war damage and claimed as reparati ons

against Japan.

That on the 22nd August 1947 Your Fetitioner was given a

reply by the Colonial Secretary of the Government of Hong Kong

to the effect that legislation on the subject of compensation to

the owners of land was then being drafted; that the Government

has no intention to make any special provision for the payment

of compensation of the buildings demolished by the Japanese and

that such claim should form the subject of a reperation claim.

5. That on the 27th January 1948 there was published in the local

papers a report that the Attorney General would present to the

Legislative Council on the following day to be read a first time

e Bill intituted "Airfield (Kei Tak) Extension and Reversion

Ordinance 1947 and the t provisions would be made to revert the

privately owned lands to the Crown and to compensate the owners

with payments according to the graded values of from $1.50 to $5.00

per square foot for buildings lots and 15 cents for agricultural

lots.

That the news of this proposed legislation which does not

provide for the payment of compensation for the buildings

6.

demolished and only gives a small and insignificant price for the

reversion of the lend, was received by the public with deep regret

and dis-appointment for the following reasons:-

- 2.