Late in 1894, the Taipingshan Resumption Ordinance was passed, providing for the resumption of whatever property the Government deemed undesirable, and creating an Arbitration Board to adjudicate in cases where the Government's offer was not considered fair.
In 84 cases, the Government's offer was disputed, and the disputes involved 429 houses. For these houses $1,016,452 was claimed by the owners. The amount offered by the Government was $683,568 and the amount finally awarded by the Arbitration Board was $763,097.
I propose now to give some particulars of the big claims, for they give some indication of property values in the mid-nineties.
The Man On Insurance Company claimed $88,799 for thirty-four houses. The Government offered $65,000 and the amount awarded was $79,000. Tang Kon-shee thought that 23 houses owned by him were worth $55,434. The Government had different ideas about the value of the houses and offered $26,980. The Arbitration Board finally fixed their value at $35,000. Cheung Sau received $40,000 for thirty-six houses. His claim had been for $79,100 and the Government's offer had been $25,797.
In the list of claimants appear the following names: Messrs. A.J. Hay, S.G. Bird, Clement Palmer, A.C. Botelho, M.A. d'Azevedo, Victor H. Deacon, J.H. Lewis, I.A. Baptista, Ho Tung, Bruce Shepherd, R.C. Wilcox, D.D. Billomoria, A.B. Johnson, Dr. Chalmers, the Hongkong Fire Insurance Company Ltd., the Spanish Procuration, the China Fire Insurance Company Ltd., the Hongkong-Canton and Macao Steamboat Company, the Tung Wah Hospital, Mrs. Caldwell and Mrs. Hance.
Commenting upon the Taipingshan Arbitration awards, the Hongkong Telegraph said that the list of claims would be of great interest to all students of the history of the plague and to all concerned in the values of local estates.
"Such extensive and complicated Arbitration as this has been," said the journal, "is a very rare occurrence and the problems solved in its course by attorneys, Government officials and the Board will certainly be of great assistance to other communities, should they find themselves in similar straits.
"So far as we can see, the Government and the Board seem to have laboured wisely, patiently, continuously and successfully, with the gigantic task before them,"
The article concluded: "Whether it has cost too much or not, we congratulate the ratepayers on the completion of the first step and the solution of the vexed question wrapped up in the fate of the 'Forbidden City.' These problems have been hovering over us for months past, and it is now to be hoped that the proper path has been chosen and the demolition will begin as soon as possible, and, 'phoenix-like, purified by fire if necessary, and certainly with carbolic acid, cement flooring, proper ventilation and drains, Taipingshan will rise redeemed from her ashes, and be hailed as a useful adjunct of a great city."
17.
Late in 1894, the Taipingshan Resumption Ordinance was passed, providing for the resumption of whatever property the Government deemed undesirable, and creating an Arbitration Board to adjudicate in cases where the Government's offer was not considered fair.
In 84 cases, the Government's offer was disputed, and the disputes involved 429 hourses. For these houses $1,016,452 was claimed by the owners. The amount offered by the Government was $683,568 and the amount finally awarded by the Arbitration Board was $763,097.
I propose now to give some particulars of the big claims, for they give some indication of property values in the mid-nineties.
The Man On Insurance Company claimed $88,799 for thirty-four houses. The Government offered $65,000 and the amount awarded was $79,000. Tang Kon-shee thought that 23 houses owned by him were worth $55,434. The Government had different ideas about the value of the houses and offered $26,980. The Arbitration Board finally fixed their value at $35,000. Cheung Sau received $40,000 for thirty-six houses. His claim had been for $79,100 and the Government's offer had been $25,797.
In the list of claimants appear the following names: Messrs. A.J. Hay, S.G. Bird, Clement Palmer, A.C. Botelho, M.A. d'Azevedo, Victor H. Deacon, J.H. Lewis, I.A.Baptista, Ho Tung, Bruce Shepherd, R.C. Wilcox, D.D. Billomoria, A.B. Johnson, Dr. Chalmers, the Hongkong Fire Insurance Company Ltd., the Spanish Procuration, the China Fire Insurance Company Ltd., the Hongkong-Canton and Macao Steamboat Company, the Tung Wah Hospital, Mrs. Caldwell and Mrs. Hance.
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Commenting upon the Taipingshan Arbitration awards, the Hongkong Telegraph said that the list of claims would be of great interest to all students of the history of the plague and to all concerned in the values of local estates.
"Such extensive and complicated Arbitration as this has been," said the journal, is a very rare occurrence and the problems solved in its course by attorneys, Govern- ment officials and the Board will certainly be of great assistance to other communities, should they find themselves. in similar stráits.
"So far as we can see, the Government and the Board seem to have laboured wisely, patiently, continuously and successfully, with the gigantic task before them,"
The article concluded: "Whether it has cost too much or not, we congratulate the ratepayers on the com- pletion of the first step and the solution of the vexed question wrapped up in the fate of the 'Forbidden City.' These problems have been hovering over us for months past, and it is now to be hoped that the proper path has been chosen and the the demolition will begin as soon ag possible, and, 'phoenix-like, purified by fire if necessary, and certainly with an carbolic acid, cement flooring, proper ventilation and drains, Taipingshan will rise redeemed from her ashes, and be hailed as a useful adjunct of a great city."
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