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Progress of Thi Hang Sut Resettlement Ana. showing bhi gpničėra. Tule kifli en de reptocať.
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proof, and it is to be feared that re- pair and maintenance costs will, in a few years, amount to an appreciable percentage of the first cost of con- struction. In an effort to keep con- struction costs as low as possible the requirements under the Brijkding Or- dinance were very materially relaxed in respect so thickness and height of external walls and type of materials and grade of workmanship. but wa doubi very much that it was ever visualized that the standard of con- struction would be quite as low as is exhibited in quite a number of the structures erected.
It is true they have been built very cheaply but the expenditure of another $100.00 or $150.00 per unit would provide accommodation that is dry and would not get making wet during the rainy season as is the case at present. Although we regret to say it, we suspect that the cost to the occupants" is not commensurate with the cost to the builder. and that more prođu is being made than was contemplated when the scheme was embarked upon. We want to make it quite clear that this allega- tron does not apply to all the huts built, but it is true of too many of them to be summarily dismissed as of little Importance.
Neither is this state of affairs a deal with the problem.. A central au- have to be made, approved and pass- thority with powers to plan, to deed back to other departments for ac- reflectim on the work being done by Resettlement Administration sign, to allocate and to supervise 9 tion. Hong Kung is indebted to its the large scale and long term programine inpald spokesmen on the Urban Office. They deserve the fullest cre- co-crdinate avallaole re Council for the readiness to perform dit for what they have accomplished, sources Fluminate WASTE In every such tasks in such a public-spirited but they lack the staff and the clear form, and speed up the construction way but they are busy men of affairs cut policy that is required as a guide new bulidings required, whether who have their own private avoca- and a criterion of their labours. Above of huls er of multi-storied structures tious and with the best will in the all they require a sufficient number world their competence to further the of expertenced overseers to Insure cause of resettlement from a practic adequate supervision over the work al and teahnical print of View 19
being carried ont. This they have highly problematical We feel sur, not had and we would suggest that that they themselves would be the this deficiency be rectifled without arst to recognize the need for, and delay The Resettlement Office has to welcome, the setting up of on an-
been expected to deal with too thority to handle the whole housing many problems, with tho few people, problem
with too little planning and prepara- tion, and with too little money.
As we have attempted to show. the task of resettlement is a colossal one, Its complextules are not simply those of quantity provision but of admin istrution and supervision as well. The ramifications of the Urban Connell's functions are already of such a wide spread character and of such conse quence in the fabric of the Colony's admnistration, that to saddle it with
the tremendis burden that the re- settlement problem has now assuin- ed is to Lax the resources of the de- parunent ridiculously beyond its ut- must exparty and it would be must unfair to expect it to do so with the expedition and efficiency the urgency of the situation demands within the compass of lite existing machinery under which I operales.
We repeat, the scope of the pro- blem and the extreme urgency of its solution requires drastle action, and there is utile doubt that, under the present system of operation, such drastle action cannot be taken. The sooner appropriate action is taken the Jess the waste of time. they and effort on temporary expedients and only through the medium of 2 central authority can real progress be made In one factur alune, the The Urban Counell, particularly its importance of which cannot be 100 Honorary Members, lins done yeoman strongly stressed, would such an ap service, but it is now time to relieve pointment justify itself, and that is it of an impossible task. ÂN RII EX- In the need for setting a minimum ample: the decision to appoint Boner standard of construction, and the ary Members, Fach as inspectors of a power to engage sufficient and ade- pirtienior resettlement area 14 а brucedure. commendable but ei urtle practical value. He bas no executive power, but can Only The photographs we publish of the dee, hear, record and regjort. His buildings which have been erected in report no matter how adequate or the resettlement areas are impres- how promptly made, has to go to the sire, on the surface, but the quality Suiret Committee. and from the of the materials and the workman- Select Committee to the Council In ship leaves much to be desired: many Dablle session. Recommendations of the huts are by no means weather
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quate supervision to insure that this standard 16 maintained
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Government started to deal with the problem much too late and the complications which have arisen as a result of this delay cannot be re- Fulved haphazardly, As a result of two years of effort hundreds of huta have been erected when thousands are required and on the whole, com- paratively little progress has been made in the clearing of highly un- canitary squatter areas.
The ultimate solution is undoubted- ly the erection of blocks of basic ucile daus: low cost housing in mul- Uple stray buildings in outlying areas yet conveniently located with respect to transport and employment. To date only two schemes of this character have so far been embarked upon of which one is only partly done, and of a standard higher than required for the squatter population, and the other ideally suited for the programme set out as to cost and type of accommodation and well worthy to serve as a mudel for fur- ther developments.