GOVERNMENT RESETTLEMENT WORK
It is impossible to visualize the One of the sections which is of par- foot, and the annual outgoings includ- squatter problem and the huge pro- ticular interest is that which deals with ing amortisation over forty years at gramme of resettlement undertaken by the economics of multi-storey resettle- 34% compound interest is $65,239. the Government of Hong Kong, unless ment, and the method of calculating Dividing these figures by the number one has studied the Annual Depart- the rent per unit. For the purpose of of rooms and adding $1 a month for mental Reports of the Commissioner rent calculation a seven-storey block water and 50 cents for bad debts, for Resettlement. This book is a containing 432 rentable rooms was voids, etc., the result works out to a complete review of the whole situation taken, certain rooms being set aside monthly rent of $14 per room. from the time the squatter problem as communal bathrooms and for This figure is, however, subject to first became serious in 1947, up to and administrative purposes.
We learn review. It seems likely
that the
including the progress which had been that the the capital cost of such a recurrent costs may prove higher than made in multi-storey construction at block is just over $1,000,000, taking was anticipated but it is possible the the end of the period under review. the value of land at $10 per square increase in these costs will be offset by
The squatter area between the Castle Peak Road and the Kowloon Hills in 1954.
A STUDY IN CONTRASTS
The same area in February 1957, showing the Li Cheng Uk Resettlement Estate in the buckground, and the site for the Housing Authority's So Uk Housing Scheme in the foreground.
the increased revenue from ground floor rooms used as shops and work- shops for which a rent of $50 a month is charged.
Since this report was published, we have received the Quarterly Depart mental Report for the period 1st January to 31st March, 1957, from which we get some idea of the con- tinuous effort necessary on the part of the Resettlement Office in order to keep abreast of the situation.
During the quarter a total of 6,474 persons (1,481 families) were cleared by the Mobile Resettlement Unit and offered resettlement. Altogether over seven acres of land were released for new housing, schools, playgrounds and for roads, drainage and port works schemes. Fourteen operations took place in Kowloon and three in Hong Kong.
The principal ones were as follows:- CLEARANCE UNDERTAKEN TO FREE LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT
84 huts containing 650 persons (127 families) were cleared from the site at the junction of Fuk Wing Street and Camp Street reserved for
reserved for a large Government Primary School. These persons were resettled in the Li Cheng Ük Estate.
A further 14 huts containing 84 per- sons (18 families) were cleared to enable the Public Works Department to form the surrounding roads of the Willow Street Playground. These persons were settled in the Li Cheng Uk Estate.
7 huts containing 166 persons (34 families) were cleared at the junction of Wing Hong Street and Shun Ning Road to free land for a new school. These persons were resettled in the Li Cheng Uk Estate.
66 huts containing 235 persons (70 families) were cleared from Blake
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