Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 533

HONGKONG.

PAPERS REGARDING THE NEW POST OFFICE.

No.

437

16

1902

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

18th March, 1898.

C.O.D. 186/98.

6th October, No. 285.

November, 1898. C.S.O. 2812.

100-8.4.02.

NEW POST OFFICE BUILDING.

On this date and referring to previous correspondence, the Governor reported to the Secretary of State (No. 78) the Legislative Council's unanimous resolution of 28th February, that the new Law Courts and accessory offices should be erected on reclamation plot 2 in front of the City Hall and that the site of the present General Post Office and Supreme Court be reserved for erection of a new General Post Office which should also afford accommodation for such other Government

Offices as might be decided on. The Governor proposed :-

(a) preparation of designs for the new Law Courts and accessory offices by the Consulting Architects, and on their receipt to prepare estimates locally and invite tenders; and

(b) that plans for the new G. P. O. be prepare 1 locally.

He proceeded to refer to D. P. W.'s (Mr. ORMSBY'S) preliminary views as to which offices could be accommodate with the G. P. O. He stated that an esti- mate for a three storied building on the present G. P. O. and Supreme Court site was put at $130,000. The Governor then went into the question of the Colony's ability to meet the expenditure involved, and hoped that the Secretary of State would be satisfied on that heal and approve of the proposals. A report of the proceedings in Legislative Council and report by the Director of Public Works, also papers on the financial side of the question were enclosed.

On 22nd July, 1898, the Secretary of State, in reply to the Governor's despatch No. 78 of 18th March, 1898, approved of the preparation of plans locally for the new Post Office and other offices, but asked for further information as to the financial ability of the Colony to meet the expenditure involved in view of the effect on the revenue from Land Sales of the decision to limit the terms of Crown Leases.

The Governor reported to the Secretary of State as regards the financial ques- tion that he did not think the revenue from Land Sales would be seriously affected.

On the discussion of the plans of the new Supreme Court, Mr. May suggested putting the G. P. O. on the ground floor and Supreme Court above, thereby releas- ing the valuable site of the present G. P. O., but the Director of Public Works advanced objections and the Governor decided not to re-open the matter.

On 23rd November, the Director of Public Works submitted a proposal that the Government should exchange the site of the present G. P. O., etc., with Messrs. JARDINE, MATHESON & Co., for a site occupied by their offices in front of the present building at the corner of Des Voeux Road and Pedder's Street, and the Government welcomed the suggestion as providing a solution of this trouble- some matter, but the negotiations fell through, and it remained, therefore, to face the question of rc-erecting the G. P. O. on its present site which involved the necessity of finding temporary accommodatjon.