Sessional_Paper_1897 — Page 183

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51. Surveys.-Surveys have been made and boundaries corrected of 15 lots. Plans and particu- lars have been sent to the Land Office for the issue of 237 leases. Boundary stones have been fixed to define the boundaries of 58 lots.

Several applications have been made for the purchase of what are known as the Kennedy Roal sites situated between the Kennedy and Bowen roads, and a complete survey has been made of this property.

An enlarged plan of the City of Victoria to a scale of 60 feet to one inch shewing all private lanes has been completed, and steps are being taken with a view to having this plan lithographed.

Steps are also being taken to have the plan prepared from the recent survey of Kowloon Peninsula, scale, lithographed.

The sites for Booths during the races at Happy Valley realized $6,094,

52. Squatter's Licences.As will be seen from the return appendix G. 1,386 licences have been issued to persons holding lands under this form of tenure. The fees paid amount to $4,804.54. Eighty-three licences have been cancelled owing to the property being vacated.

It is satisfactory to note all the fees due for the year have been collected.

This form of tenure is very unsatisfactory owing to the difficulty of collecting the fees, and in many cases the poverty of the holders of the licences prevents them from erecting sanitary dwellings on the property. No new licences are now issued, C.S.O. . As the improvement of the localities

7. in which the greater number of squatters exist, is proceeded with, and leases giving greater security of tenure are being issued a very marked improvement in sanitation is being effected, but there remains a great deal to be done in the way of laying out roads, streets and lanes, especially in the neighbour- hood of Shaukiwan, before a satisfactory sanitary condition can be maintained in the villages.

53. Villages Pig Sty Sites.-The residents in the villages have to a considerable extent, especially in Kowloon, availed themselves of the sites granted free of charge under the authority of C.S.O. T for the erection of pig sties, resulting in a very marked improvement of the sanitary condition of such villages.

54. Squatters' Board.-The investigation of the claims of squatters by the Squatters' Board constituted under Ordinance No. 27 of 1890 is proceeding, but in granting leases care should be taken wherever practicable to set out the lots in alignment, and so as to render practicable the construction of streets, roads and drains without further disturbance of the holders. The lots should be of suffi cient size to admit of ordinary Chinese dwellings being erected upon them in a sanitary manner. During the year the claims in respect of the village of Mongkoktsui have been heard but the report of the Board has not yet been issued.

55. The disposal of Crown lands is regulated by the instructions contained in the following Colonial Office Despatches, viz.:-

Number 8 dated 3rd January,

Number 222 dated 2nd January, 1851.

1843.

25

19

,;

31

}}

27

116

3rd January, 31st January,

2nd July,

1844.

131

17th November, 1856.

""

1844.

138

21

"}

8th December, 1856.

1845.

133

26th October,

1867.

"J

76b

2

4th December, 1848.

26

6th March,

1873.

37

19

39

236

18th October,

1890.

}}

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11

109 15th April,

294

11

JJ

12th December, 1895.

18th January, 1848. 1849.

The following documents contain various information upon matters affecting Crown and lease-

hold properties:--

Colonial Office Despatches Numbers 57 of 1844, 104 of 1869, 26 of 1873 and 131 of 1893. Government Notification Number 40 of 1857,

Colonial Secretary's Office Numbers 1778 of 1884, 804 of 1891 and 1447 of 1891.

Sessional Paper Number 12 of 1895.

WORK UNDER THE BUILDING ORDINANCES.

56. Plans deposited.-During the year, 21 plans for the erection of 55 European dwellings, 55 plans for the erection of 348 Chinese dwellings and 563 plans for miscellaneous structures have been deposited under Section 69 of Ordinance 15 of 1889.

The plans submitted include the erection of buildings on Marine Lots Nos. 90, 91, 102, 103, 198, 275, 276 and 278, on the new reclamation.

All plans deposited have been duly registered and numbered, and the registers are complete to date. 57. Certificates.-Certificates have been issued, under Section 53 of Ordinance 15 of 1889, for 467 houses, and permission has been granted for the erection of 56 verandabs and 8 piers over Crown land. 58. Notices and Permits.-Notices have been issued to remove or repair dangerous structures in 14 instances, and 2,807 miscellaneous notices and permits have been issued.