Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 278

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Appendix No. VIA.

A.

Translation of a Red Deed.

The maker of this Deed of Absolute Sale of a plot of land, including Salt Pans now disused and Hill Land, is TANG KAI-SHEK who inherited the property from his ancestor who bought the same from UN CHEUNG-K'. The land, which pays land tax, is situated near the village of Ch'an Ka Wai in the Sub-District of T'ün Mun. The tax in kind on this land is registered in the District Magistrate's Office as One Shek and Seven Shing of grain.

Since the payment of land tax is now being pressed for and the vendor is in want of money to pay this tax, he desires to sell the whole plot of laud which has been bequeathed to him and which is covered by the title deed. The vendor, in the first instance, invited his nearest of kin to purchase it, but as none of them had the necessary funds wherewith to purchase the property, he asked the middle-men CHENG TS'OI-CHEUNG and LEUNG YAT-UN to introduce him to CHENG IN IT'ONG, of Nam Tau City, who consented to enter into negotiations with a view to the purchase of the property.

It was agreed between the Vendor and Purchaser in the presence of the middle-men that the market price of this land shall be Fifty Dollars ($50) equiva- lent in weight was handed over in the presence of witnesses to TANG KAI-SHEK in person who paid out of it the land tax due.

TANG KAI-SHEK on the same day transferred the whole of the above property to CHENG IN I T'ONG, who is entitled to exercise all the rights of ownership and is at liberty to officially register the property in his own name whenever he may deem it convenient.

This is a genuine transaction and this sale has not been made as a set-off against any debt.

The four boundaries of this plot, including hill land, &c., are according to the limits within which the Vendor, TANG KAI SHEK, exercised his former rights of ownership, the plot being locally known as the Fuk Kiu Farm at Tün Mun Bay and is not now cultivated,

The Eastern Boundary extends to the Lò Ts'z Rock near Ü Kok Point at Lai Chi Kok; the Western Boundary to Hau Kok Lek; the Southern Boundary to Tang Lung Chau; the Northern Boundary to Tang Chim-yat's Farm. These limits include the bills with pines, the orchards and the buildings.

mau.

The boundaries are thus clearly defined and the registered area is twenty-six

If any difficulty hereafter arises in connection with the land, it must be ar ranged by the Vendor and the middle-men, the Purchaser being in no way responsible.

This translation is made with the mutual consent of both parties, and in case there may be no proof of an oral agreement, this Deed is drawn up and handed over together with another Stamped. Deed to the l'urchaser to be kept as evidence.

This Deed is registered in the naine of Ts'oi KwONG under the entry of TANG LEUNG of the ath Tổ, #th T%, and 8th Ráp.

It is further inserted in this deed in the presence of both parties that out of the total number of Eighty-four maus, Five fan, and Two Li, included in the various localities mentioned in the deed, only Twenty-six maus are sold to CHENG IN I TONG who may register the same in his own name. The remaining portion of the land is still under the ownership of the Tang clan, the tax for which the said clan shall continue to pay.