ENG-1966 — Page 176

LAND AND HOUSING

129

Revenue from land transactions in Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon during the financial year 1965-6 totalled approxi- mately $69,128,000, made up as follows: about $27,292,000 from 27 sales by auction and tender; $11,315,000 from private treaty sales; $19,405,000 from modifications of lease conditions, extensions, and exchanges; and $11,116,000 from regrants of expired 75-year leases. Revenue from land transactions in the New Territories during the same period was $4,517,000. Where it is not possible to dispose of land immediately, either because public utilities and other services are not yet available or the site has been set aside for some future purpose, the land is rarely left vacant but may be occupied either on temporary annual permit or on short-term tenancy. The 1965–6 revenue from these types of tenure was approximately $9,547,000 in the urban area and $1,439,000 in the New Territories; the latter figure includes modification of tenancy fees. As permanent develop- ment continues, it is necessary to cancel permits and the number in the urban area and in the more developed parts of the New Territories decreases year by year, although this does not apply to short-term tenancies. In addition, $7,020,000 was derived by way of rent from government owned buildings.

SURVEYS

All surveys in Hong Kong are plotted on the Colony grid which is a Cassini plane rectangular one with a false origin south-west of the Colony. Urban Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon are surveyed at the large scale of 1/600 (50 feet to one inch) because of the congested and crowded conditions in the built-up areas.

To cope with development in the New Territories and pinpoint individual land holdings, a wide coverage of up-to-date survey sheets on a scale of 100 feet to one inch is being completed. Most of the Colony is being mapped from air photos by Hunting Surveys Limited, the Crown Lands and Survey Office providing ground control and field checks on photo plots. These surveys form the basis for plans at other scales for planning, land records and other purposes which are compiled from photographic reductions. In addition, a small-scale air survey is being carried out to form a basis for revising the 1:25,000 scale maps of the Colony.