TNAG-0614-FCO40-762-Visit-by-delegation-from-Heung-Yee-Kuk-(Rural-Consultive-Cou-1977 — Page 25

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THE HEUNG YEE KUK, NEW TERRITORIES

JOINT OPINION

{

1.

Our opinion is sought by the Heung Yee Kuk (a

statutory advisory body to the Government on the New Territories

affairs) on the development of the Government's land policy as

applicable to the New Territories and on its conformity with

the letter and spirit of the 1898 Convention by which the New

Territories were leased by China to Britain.

2.

By a Convention signed at Peking on 9th June 1898

the New Territories were leased by China to Great Britain for

a term of 99 years expiring on 30th June 1997. The preamble

to the Convention states that an extension of Hong Kong

territory was "necessary for the proper defence and protection

of the Colony" and the Convention provides, inter alia that:

there will be no expropriation or expulsion of

the inhabitants of the district included within

the extension, and that if land is required for public offices, fortifications, or the like official purposes, it shall be bought at a fair price."

3.

The main grievance of the indigenous inhabitants of

the New Territories concerning the land policy of the Hong Kong

Government are as follows:

(a)

The imposition on land-owners of unfair

restrictions on the change of user of their

land;