On Tuesday there was published an official announcement of some importance issued by the Whangpoo-Conservancy Board with reference to rights connected with reclaimed land. It appears that the Conservancy is advised that "certain parties" are negotiating for the purchase of foreshore land _alongside the Chung Kung, or Military, road leading to Woosung, and proceedings in connexion with the purchase are disputed by the Board.
It is announced for the information of all concerned that by the terms of Article 7 of a provisional agreement between the Treaty, Powers and the Peking Government, entered into in 1912, these foreshore lands are placed under the control of the Conservancy.
The jurisdiction of the Conservancy has been clearly defined, says the announcement, as extending between high water lines, placing all foreshore and reclaimed or reclaimable areas under Conservancy jurisdiction. It follows, that the title to any and all foreshore areas between high water lines from the Kiangnan Arsenal to the Conservancy training works at Woosung can only be obtained through the Whangpoo Conservancy Board, to whom payment must be made of the assessed sheng ko price. No sheng ko plan or receipt for payment of sheng ko is valid unless issued by the Board.
Conservancy's Ricur or Conrrov.
This announcement has been necessitated, we understand, in consequence of information having reached thesBoard that a group of Chinese merchants is negotiating with the Ministry of Finance for the purchase of an extensive area of reclaimed land to the right of the Woosung Road, some four miles from the Point. At present the land is quite undeveloped, and covered with reeds, but, according to our information, the proposal is to create sites for the erection of cotton mills. The Conservancy now intervenes on the ground that it has the sole right to negotiate. in such matters of purchase. This. principle has been conceded by the Government, and now that a Government department seeks to go behind it, the Conservancy turally bound to take action. I to be observed that the land in question exists solely because of reclamation work undertaken by the Conservancy. The Conservancy of course can have no objection to the sale of such land, provided no interference with river improvement schemes is involved; but, as is shown above, it has right of control.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.