Sessional_Paper_1886-1887 — Page 483

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REPORT FROM THE LAND COMMISSION OF 1886-87.

should be shown to them by the Government, even to the extent of granting them leases for the remaining portion of 999 years from the foundation of the Colony.

With regard to licensed squatters the Commissioners consider that they can have no just claims to be confirmed in their holdings. If their lands were not required for other purposes, and they were in a condition to take out leases, some amount of preference might be shown to them, but whenever a squatter, who has been in possession for a lengthened period, is dispossessed the Com- missioners think that it would only be just to give him some compensation for disturbance, however small, and to allow him the value of any improvements he may have made; and with regard to trespassers, of long standing especially, such as have been rated, the Commissioners think that they should have a reasonable notice to remove, and some compensation if they have, owing to the laches of the Crown, been induced to effect any permanent improvements, or are damaged owing to their having put up buildings in the belief that they would not be disturbed.

The Commissioners see no reason why lands, not wanted for other purposes, should not be dis- posed of for pastoral or agricultural purposes, or for garden lots. These lands might be either disposed of to tenants from year to year,.or on leases for 7, 14 or 21 years, and the Commissioners think that considerable discretion might be given to the Crown Land Board in dealing with any applications for Land, for these purposes, that may be made to them, subject of course to approval by the Governor, or the Governor in Council, and in accordance with any Instructions that he may receive from the Secretary of State.

With regard to the means to be taken by the Government for looking after the interests of the Colony, in the outlying districts, the Commissioners are satisfied the Government will have eventually to appoint suitable men with similar powers to the Government Agents in Ceylon, and other places.

The Commissioners are strongly of opinion that there should be one such Agent resident in Kowloon; one in the South-Eastern, and one in the North-Eastern Districts of Hongkong.

The duties of these Agents, so far as regards the Land question, would be to make themselves acquainted, in the first instance, with the present occupiers and tenants; to act as Deputy Land Com- missioners and to report to the Crown Land Board upon all existing claims to Land in their respective Districts; to receive, and to report on, applications for grants of Land, or for other privileges which it might be in the power of the Crown Land Board to grant; to superintend the collection of Crown rents and rates and taxes; to prevent trespassing; to look after the forests, and to prevent the trespassing thereon, and the cutting down of trees for sale, or for use as fuel, a temptation to which the villagers, and others, are becoming more and more exposed; to regulate, under the directions of the Crown Land Board, or of the departments concerned, the cutting of grass, the keeping of pigs, the depasturing of cattle and goats. For such duties the Commissioners think that the services of a Passed Cadet might be utilized and that it would afford him a good opportunity for familiarizing himself with the languages spoken in Hongkong; for bringing him into contact with the various departments and for enabling the Government to form some opinion as to the capacity in which his services would be most likely to be useful thereafter; and the Commissioners consider that the increase to the revenue resulting from more strictly looking after the interests of the Crown in the outlying districts would more than com- pensate for the increased staff that would be required. In addition to the duties we have suggested these gentlemen might be appointed Magistrates and deal with criminal cases subject to an appeal or re-hearing before the Magistrates in Victoria and they might also have a limited jurisdiction for dealing with cases of petty debt, and the Commissioners cannot help saying, although not within the scope of their present enquiry, that in their opinion such appointments would have the best possible effect in bringing the Government more into touch with the people and the weakening of the power of the secret societies to which, as we understand, the people now turn for redress whenever they consider that they are in any way wronged as amongst themselves. These gentlemen ought also generally to