HONG KONG HOUSING AUTHORITY
Applications.
Report for the period 1st January 31st March, 1959
forms for accommodation, and 23,351 completed forms had been returned. 10,090 visits to the homes of applicants had been carried out, and 11,104 personal interviews given at the head office.
An overhaul of the housing register will shortly be carried out in order to ascer- tain how many applications are still "live" and how many applicants wish to be considered for the So Uk Estate. This will be a major operation, involving near- ly 20,000 applications, but it will save many unproductive visits and interviews.
Staff.
criticisms
are
and
arrears amount to less than $3,000, and mains from Piper's Hill service reservoir, At the end of March, the Housing it has just proved necessary to write off and a salt-water main for flushing. Messrs. Authority had issued 44.774 application $754 as bad debts. Some misunderstand. Rediffusion (Hong Kong) have been given
conduits ing seems to have arisen over the arrange- permission to lay main ments for financing these projects, and cables for their services, as the various there has been criticism in some quarters blocks constructed: connections to The individual flats will be wired when tenants that the rents could be reduced.
made, however, do not take ask for service. are considerable in operating an estate of oil companies to build a kerosene service into account any expenses involved, which It has been decided to allow one of the this size. The capital cost is amortised shop, with bulk underground storage, in over 40 years, and from rental income not the estate, for the convenience of tenants. only interest and amortisation charges must be met, but also provision for staff Mr. Luke's plans for Blocks P, Q & R salaries, repairs and maintenance, in have been approved by the P.W.D., and surance, electricity (for lighting of com- the Bill of Quantities almost completed munal areas, which alone costs $7,000 a by Messrs. Langdon & Every. Tenders month), Crown rent, and so on.
been received for the construction of Blocks E, F, G, H & I (Mr. Szeto's The total population of the estate is section) and are now appointment as Housing Manager, Assis- over 12,400, including over 3,800 children together with
being examined, tenders for various sub- tant Housing Manager, Housing Assistants, under the age of 10.
contracts. The lift contract, in the sum Maintenance Officer, and Architectural
of $507.500, has been awarded to British Draughtsman. In this work, which took Sai Wan Chuen.
G.E.C. Ltd. Messrs. Chau & Lee's general up a good deal of time, the staff were
The general contract for this plans for Blocks A, B, C, D, & M have greatly assisted by members (sitting on a estate has now been
completed, been approved by the P.W.D. and tenders rota basis) on the various boards.
except for minor items, the last two for piling received. Messrs. Leigh & Proposals for staff increases, put forward blocks, B and C. having been handed Orange's general plans for Blocks S, T in the 1959/60 Draft Estimates, were over on 17th February. An additional & U have also been approved, and it is almost completely accepted. A special children's playground has been constructed hoped to go out to tender for the general committee has now been set up to consider in the well between the blocks.
contract in mid-April. Tenders for various
Boards sat to interview candidates for
have
both short- and long-term training require- An additional well is being sunk, and sub-contracts in this section have already ments of management staff, with a view an underground stream supply tapped, in been received, and the lift contract, in to filling the Authority's future needs by order to augment the flushing water sup- the sum of $194,440, awarded to the organisation of a comprehensive training Ply, which is proving inadequate now the British General Electric Co.
estate is nearly fully occupied. The Piling is making slow progress, a good scheme, acceptable to examining bodies. godown accommodation, recently advertis- many underground obstructions having
local recruitment. This will entail the
Visits.
ed in the local press, has still not been been encountered: so far over 400 piles
70 have been driven. Visitors to the Authority's estates in- let, and offers would be welcome. cluded Mr. W.I.J. Wallace, C.M.G., telephone circuits are available for alloca- Latest statistics show that the estate tion, and as there is spare capacity avail- will contain 4,520 flats, with an estimated able on the local exchange, tenants can
O.B.E., Assistant Under Secretary of State; Mr. Peter Thorneycroft, M.P., and Dr. Charles Hill, M.P., Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
North Point Estate.
Government was informed that the cost of the school, clinics, and Post Office incorporated in the North Point Estate, was $980,239.00; this sum, plus accrued interest charges, will be reimbursed to the Authority by Government.
the estate.
be given service on request: so far, how- population of about 32,300 people. ever, there has been little demand. Two Clearwater Bay Road. public call-boxes have been installed on Messrs. Palmer & Turner continue their investigations into development of this Steps have been taken to introduce site, and a number of tentative schemes inclusive rents: this arrangement will be have been prepared in an effort to realise much more convenient to the tenants and the Authority's aim to cater on this estate to the Authority.
primarily for those in the $300-$600 income group, with
exclusive rents between about $30 and $60 a month. It is unlikely, however, owing to clearance difficulties, that work can start on the site for some time.
Letting of all five blocks on the estate is now well advanced, and 555 flats, out of a total of 636, were let on 31st March. There have been many more retusals of offers than anticipated, and it has been necessary to ask more than 2,500 ap- Ma Tuu Chung. plicants to indicate their interest in tenancies.
The Residents' Association has now been registered, and every encouragement will be given to this body to work for the well being of the community. 60 out of the 71 shops on the estate have now been let, some as kindergartens. The Assembly Hall has been let for a number of private parties: the charge to tenants is $40 for So Uk Estate.
of
Investigations continue into the develop- ment of this site, and in an effort to reduce building costs, unconventional de-
an running at
a
an evening session, and $75 to others. The site formation contractor at So Uk signs are being considered. Fees for longer periods, or for regular vacated the site on 31st January, at the Finances. bookings, can be arranged on request. Authority's request, in order to permit The Authority now owes Government Arrangements are being made for the piling work to start: work uncompleted $47.375,000.00, and interest payments are hall, which is fully equipped with cloak- will be carried out under the various room and cooking facilities, to be licensed general contracts.
average of $283,270 It is of interest to note month. The Administration Loan, amount- as a place of public entertainment. that during the course of site formation ing to $296,818.77 as at 31st December, Tenants are still experiencing difficulty 214,500 cu.yds. of earth and 28,700 cu. 1958, has been liquidated, together with in obtaining telephones, and over 200 yds. of rock were excavated. 165,000 cu. the small advances authorised to meet applications are still outstanding. It is yds. of filling done, and 33,500 cu.yds. expenses incurred with the topographical unlikely, as there is no spare capacity of earth removed to the dump. 5.700 cu. surveys of the Clearwater Bay Road and available on the local exchange, that these yds. of mass cement concrete were poured, Ma Tau Chung schemes. The new finan- can be met until a new exchange is pro- 3.420 ft. run of drain pipes laid, and
cial arrangements of the Authority, where- vided in the area (in about two years 25,500 sq.yds. of road bottoming put in. by all outstanding loans have been con- time).
The P.W.D. has been asked to proceed solidated into one block loan of $91.5m All but one or two of the 1,955 flats on with the installation of sewers, drains, are proving most beneficial, and providing the estate have been fully occupied during water supplies, and the constructions of a greater degree of flexibility. Interest this period. It is of interest to note that internal roads (all to be carried out at the on the first $45m is paid at 31% p.a. and after fifteen months occupancy. with a Authority's expense). Work has also on any funds over that amount at 5% rent bill of nearly $250,000 a month, started on the laying of fresh water outlet p.a.