Sessional_Paper_1905 — Page 281

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Re-adjustments of Boundaries.-The re-adjustments of boundaries were mostly in connection with the lots for which it was not possible, from the nature of the sites, to define the limits accurately on the ground and were generally of small

extent.

The only case worthy of mention is one in which Messrs. BLACKHEAD & Co. gave up a portion of their lots for the purpose of widening Des Voeux Road, Kowloon, and were granted an area to the seaward side of their lots.

Conversion of Lots.-The only conversion of any importance was in the case of Inland Lots 501 and 502, situated at Praya East, which were converted into Marine Lot 283 in order that the owners might participate in the projected Reclamation Scheme.

Lease Plans.

3. Plans and particulars (in duplicate) of 66 Lots and 14 Piers were fur- nished to the Land Office in connection with the issue of lenses.

Boundary Stones.

4. Boundary stones were fixed for 16 lots in Hongkong, 3 lots in Kowloon, and 6 lots in the New Territory.

Sites for Booths at the Race Course.

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5.-A sum of $4,552.75 was realized by the letting of sites for the erection. of booths and stands at Happy Valley during the Race Meeting.

Squatters' Licences.

6. The number of Squatters' Licences on the Roll at the commencement of the year was 975, representing an annual rental of $2,410.13. During the year, 703 were written off, leaving 272 still on the roll; the fees received during the year amounted to $2,340.32. The claim of several Squatters' Villages came before the Squatters' Board in March, and those whose claims were good were granted leases, but as a number of these people had already paid their Squatters' fees for the year it was decided to leave them on the roll and date their leases from 1st January,

Military Lands.

1905.

7.The negotiations between the Colonial Government and the Military Authorities for exchanges of land were still unconcluded at the close of the year. The Military Authorities were granted a lease for 10 years of an area a little over 255 acres in extent near Kowlcon City as Rifle Ranges and Reserve in considera- tion of their having relinquished their Ranges on the site of King's Park, the Government agreeing to pay cost of construction of butts, &c., which, including a diversion of road and resumption of cultivated land within the area, amounted to $26,450.52. The Ranges are practically completed.

Naval Lands.

8.-The Admiralty were granted an area of 402,400 square feet in Kowloon for the purpose of erecting a coaling pier and boat shelter, also an area of 282 acres at Long Harbour and Jones Cove in the New Territory for the construction of Rifle Ranges, the land to revert to the Colonial Government whenever it ceases to be used for this purpose. A strip 50 feet in width from the North of Kowloon Marine Lot 36, having an area of about 17,500 square feet, was handed over to the Colonial Government for the purpose of forming a 100-foot road in connection with the scheme for providing main thoroughfares in Kowloon, the Admiralty receiving in exchange the portion of Austin Road situated between their properties-Kow- loon Marine Lots 41 and 35.

Piers.

9.-The Government, by Notification No. 562 on 5th August, 1904, decided to dispose of certain Pier sites in Hongkong. Those opposite Marine Lots to be sold to the owners of the lots, if they desired, at fixed rates; others opposite Crown Land by Public Auction. The right of erecting piers under long leases was granted in two cases in Ilongkong and ten cases in Kowloon, the premia derived in the case of the Hongkong Piers amounted to $27,229,25 including one of the l'ier sites referred to above, which realized a premium of $27,000; and of Kowloon Piers to $950, the annual rentals being $960 and $3,060 respectively.

Licences for the following temporary l'iers for various periods were issued: 12 in Hongkong, 22 in Kowloon, and 14 in the New Territory, the amount of fees for these being $3,341.87.