xvi
REPORT FROM THE LAND COMMISSION OF 1886-87.
On the 4th January, 1844, the last mentioned Committee reported that the sale of the Marine Lots gave an average annual rental of nearly £350 per acre, and looking to the fact that this was the result of a public sale, and that the purchasers were under the impression that the time for which the land was disposed of was unlimited, recommended that all the Marine Lots hitherto sold or granted should be recognised and confirmed for a period of 75 years, excepting those which had been abandoned or forfeited, and considering that, in some instances, the rate of annual rent at £20 per quarter acre at which Inland Town Lots had been sold was too low, and in others, too high, further recommended that all lots, other than Marine, that had hitherto been granted or occupied should be classified and rated according to a scale determined with reference to locality.
On the 13th January, 1844, the Committee recommended a system of classification of lots (other than Marine) for rental as follows:-
No. of Classes
At the rate of per acre per annum.
1
£160. 0.0
2
120 0.0
100. 0.0
4
80, 0.0
5
60. 0.0
6
40. 0.0
7
20. 0.0
8
12. 0.0
9
6. 0.0
10
3. 0.0
11
2. 0.0
12
1. 0.0
13
0.10.0
On the 28th February, 1844, an Ordinance, (No. 3 of 1844), was passed for the registration by the Land Officer, in the Land Office, of all dealings with land, or its disposition by deed or will, and providing for the priorities of registered documents, the forms of registration by Memorial, and deposit of deeds and documents for safe custody.
This Ordinance is in force at the present day without alteration or amendment.
In the same year (1844) a large number of Chinese had come over to the Colony and taken possession of land for erecting their dwellings and carrying on their business, without any grant or permission.
To check this the then Governor Sir JOHN F. DAVIS issued a proclamation directing their removal within a reasonable time as follows:-
GOVERNMENT PROCLAMATION OF 21ST OCTOBER, 1844.
"Whereas a great number of Chinese and others have, without permission and in direct opposition to Law and Custom, settled themselves upon the Queen's Road and at divers places along the coast of this Island, and have there erected mat-houses, and in some instances even wooden houses, wherein they live and carry on business without paying any rent to the Crown for the land so occupied.
"This is to give notice, that the Surveyor General of this Colony has received my commands to give the aforesaid persons notice to remove themselves and structures within a reasonable time, and at his discretion and in default of their doing so to eject thein and remove their mat sheds and other
structures.
"This proclamation to be translated into Chinese and circulated throughout the Island.
"GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.
Victoria, Hongkong, 21st October, 1844."
(Signed),
J. F. DAVIS, Governor, &c.
[Friend of China & Hongkong Gazette, October 23rd, 1844.]
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