694285-1875-Crown-Rents-Commission- — Page 1

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THE HONGKONG

Government Gazette.

Published by Authority.

No. 24.

VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 5TH JUNE, 1875.

VOL. XXI.

No. 106.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Commission appointed by His Excellency the Administrator to enquire into the rate of Crown Rents in the outlying portions of the City, is published for general information.

By Command,

CECIL C. SMITH,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 1st June, 1875.

CROWN RENTS' COMMISSION.

[L.S.] JOHN GARDINER AUSTIN,

Administrator.

Whereas complaints have, from time to time, been made to the Government by the holders of Crown Lands situate in the less populous parts of the Colony-alleging that the rents reserved by the Leases of such Lands, are greatly out of proportion to the real value of the said Lands, and prohibit the complainants from turning the said Lands to profitable account; by reason whereof the said Lands cannot be used to advantage, to the injury of the complainants and to the hindrance of the general progress of the Colony. And Whereas it is advisable that inquiry should be made as to the truth of the said complaints and into the scale of rents now reserved upon Crown Lands situate in different parts of the Colony, and to consider whether the same may be modified.

Now, therefore, know ye that I, JOHN GARDINER AUSTIN, Esquire, the Officer Administering the Government of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, do hereby appoint you the Honorable JOHN BRAMSTON, Attorney General, and you the Honorable CHARLES MAY, Acting Treasurer, and you the Honorable PHINEAS RYRIE, Member of the Legislative Council, and

JOHN MCNEILE you the Honorable HENRY LOWCOCK, Member of the Legislative Council, and you PRICE, Esquire, Surveyor General, to be Commissioners to enquire into and investigate the aforesaid complaints, and to enquire into and investigate the scale of rents now chargeable upon Crown Lands in different parts of the Colony. And to report to me all evidence taken by you-and also your opinion thereon and whether the rents now chargeable upon Crown Lands seen to admit of modification.

And, I do hereby require you to commence your enquiries forthwith, and to proceed therein continuously, and to make your report to me as aforesaid with all reasonable despatch. And I do hereby empower you, or any Three or more of you, during the course and for the purposes of your said Commission, to demand and obtain access at all times to all papers, records and documents relating to the subject matter of the said Commission being in the custody and under the control of the several public departments within this Colony-and from time to time to call before you, and examine all persons superintending or employed in or under any of the said departments. And I do hereby charge all persons in the public service to be aiding and assisting unto you herein.

Given under my Hand and under the Seal of the Colony of Hongkong, at Victoria, in the said

Colony, this 31st day of May, A.D. 1875.

By His Excellency's Command,

CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.