CYPHER/CAT À
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CONFIDENTIAL
TO F.C.0. LONDON
TOP COPT
PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 818
CONFIDENTIAL 05/0345Z
5 DECEMBER 1972
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, LONDON TELEGRAM
NUMBER 818 OF 5 DECEMBER 1970.
YOUR TELEGRAM 769: HOUSING OF SQUATTERS.
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THE HOUSING BOARD HAS BEEN ASKED TO MAKE A FURTHER STUDY OF THE
PROBLEM OF SQUATTERS ON CROWN LAND, BUT SOME CONSIDERABLE TIME
MUST ELAPSE BEFORE POLICY DECISIONS CAN BE MADE ON THE RESULTS OF
THAT STUDY, OR ANY RADICAL CHANGE OF DIRECTION DECIDED UPON.
NEITHER | NOR ANYONE HERE WHO WAS PRESENT DURING MR. ROYLE'S
VISIT CAN RECALL AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BOARD WOULD REPORT IN
TWO MONTHS IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTEXT. WHAT WAS SAID WAS THAT THE
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD WAS EXPECTED IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS, AND
INDEED I EXPECT IT ANY TIME NOW. THE REPORTS OF THE BOARD ARE MOST VALUABLE DOCUMENTS, AND LOOK FORWARD AS WELL AS IN RETROSPECT.
2. DURING THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR THE HOUSING BOARD HAS
CONSIDERED AN ANALYSIS OF SQUATTER AREAS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA, COMPRISING HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON AND NEW KOWLOON AND TSUEN WAN/KWAI CHUNG. THE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 410,530 SQUATTERS. AGAINST THIS, THE CATEGORIES OF PERSONS QUALIFYING FOR
RESETTLEMENT HOUSING ARE BROADLY DEFINED AS :-
(A) SQUATTERS CLEARED FROM LAND REQUIRED FOR DEVELOPMENT:
(B) VICTIMS OF FIRES AND NATURAL DISASTERS AND COMPASSIONATE CASES: (C).FAMILIES DISPLACED FROM DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, OR THOSE WHICH
REPRESENT A FIRE OR HEALTH HAZARD:
(D) PERIODIC CLEARANCE OF SQUATTER RESITE AREAS:
(E) RELIEF OF OVERCROWDING IN EXISTING RESETTLEMENT ESTATES.
3.
HILK 18/8.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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