684505-1880-Encroachment-on-Crown-Land- — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH AUGUST, 1880.

4. For land in the neighbourhood of Inland Lot No. 8, a price of $2 per square foot would be fair and equitable, provided the ground were

eligible for building, but this rim or strip is worthless and unsaleable by itself, owing to its extreme narrowness, and I am therefore at some loss how to give it any market value at all.

5. Had this Lot been originally sold by Govern- ment for a competitive premium, with a fixed annual rent to follow, I would have suggested that the same rate of premium be now charged for the encroachment as was realized at its sale by the Lot itself, But Lot No. 8 was not sold for a premium. In accordance with the early practice of the Colony, the land was knocked down to the bidder of the highest annual Crown

rent.

6. In these circumstances, the Governor may perhaps approve of the encroachment being as- sessed at the same annual Crown rent per foot that was realized by the Lot, without further charge to Mr. CHENG SING-YEUNG. This would represent an annual rent of $16.17, which seems enough for so narrow a strip.

I have the honour to be,

Honourable F. STEWART,

Sir.

Your obedient servant,

J. M. PRICE,

Surveyor General.

百

Acting Colonial Secretary,

e

C

e

P.S.-Since writing the foregoing, the petition

enclosed herein has come from Mr. CHENG SING-

YÉUNG.

21st July, 1880.

[In C.S.O. 1775.]

(Translation.)

J. M. PRICE.

The petition of CHENG SING-YEUNG, having reference to his purchase of Lot No. 8, from the Gibb Hong. As the Gibb Hong had over 30 years ago built on a piece of Crown land.about three feet wide, and up to the present time not a word has been said about it, therefore, your Petitioner, having now purchased it, should by right have possession of the property as hereto- fore. But if your Petitioner is required to pay Crown rent for it (the small strip of ground), he is willing to obey instructions, but would beg His Excellency the Governor to show his kind- ness and not to demand any premium for the ground. Your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.

Dated the 14th day of the 6th moon in the 6th Year of Kwong-sui (20th July 1880).

(Signed) CHENG SING-YEUNG.

To the Honourable

THE SURVEYOR. GENERAL,

+

四

日

Sc.,

&c. Translated by

CHAN A-Fook.

True translation,

E. J. EITEL.

22nd July, 1880.

+

輔有

使

八司陳

再陳明按上所陳各

年

有

鄭

七

星楊送來之禀一并附呈

輸枇銀一十六圓一毫七仙似此狹窄如帶形之地輸此稅項亦云足矣爲此須至 督憲准照鄭星楊買受該地價值而定此侵佔越界之地按尺徵稅則該地每年應

是故

定以

是投買得來乃照舊章從重輸納地稅者 按此事乃是如此故 秕若干卑職便可倡議照買該地價值若干而定此侵佔之價值但第八號地段不 故也是以卑職無由立定時值 倘若國家本是招人投買該地段而立定每年地 按凡與八號地圖速卷之地定每方尺償銀二個該地合用建屋宇 堪稱爲公富但此如帶形之地獨自原是無用不值多金且亦不能出沽以其太狹

月

二十日

I

光

緒

督憲大人施恩不取地價則感德不淺矣 民買受理宜照舊營業既是要民加納地稅民亦愿遵命惟求乞 皇家餘地一塊約闊三尺至今有卅餘年之久未有一言題及今 鄭星楊禀

凤梨人鄭星機品質受刧行第八號地段事因病行超過

工務司大人作主恩准施行

年六月