Hongkong, Jan. 4.
The City Hall, a well known] Jandmark, in Hongkong is shortly to be closed down because of its dilapidated condition.—Situated between Queen's Roud, East, and Des 'Voeux Road, the building contains the Hongkong Public Library, the Museum "anda YMCA. for th service men. staying' inthe Colony, sed ional as Well as and also a theatre which was often Quite recently the chief elficer of the Fire Brigade advised the bers of the City Hall commission that the edifice was in such a state Deeause of its age that it could no longer be regarded as safe. The members were advised that' recon struction would have to. be con: sidered. This the commission had already had" under consideration, and it ig now planned to close the City Hall to public functions.
The Hon, Mr, W.E.L. Shenton one of the members of the mittee having charge of the building, in a recent. interview said that it had been "pointed out that in. the event of fire the occupants of the Duilding might be placed in grave dangers It was impossible to. take in hand the rebuilding of the structure immediately because of the present financial condition, and the matter, would have to be lett in the hands of the government to decide what should ultimately be done.
In July Inst, a local land invest~ ment company made an offer for the site on which the City Hall stands, their intention being to pull down the existing building and. erect a first class. cinema theatre a proposal with which the Hongkong government did not agree, It ig now learned that the government itself may set aside a substan, Ual sum for the reconstruction of the City' Hail, and thus ensure the maintenance of, the public library] and museum both of which ave well patronized by the public.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.