SLA
;
CRS 1100
UNCLASSIFIED
EM HONG KONG 142205Z JUL 79
Hell
25/2173/2
16 JUL 1979
no mo.
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON-
TELEGRAM NUMBER 649 OF 14 JULY
INFO F C O (WILLIAMSON HKGD).
MY TELNQ 618.
THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ARE BASED ON THE PETITION SUBMITTED TO
HRH PRINCE OF WALES IN MAY OF WHICH YOU WILL HAVE RECEIVED A
COPY.
1. THE RESUMPTION OF THESE BUILDINGS TO MAKE WAY FOR THE MTR
EXTENSION TO TSUEN WAN WAS UNAVOIDABLE. AS OWNERS OF POST-WAR, AND IN SOME CASES FAIRLY NEW PREMISES, THE PROPERTY-OWNERS WERE NATURALLY SHCOKED, AND AT FIRST WERE NOT PREPARED TO COOPERATE
WITH THE GOVERNMENT. THEY DID NOT START SERIOUSLY DISCUSSING
COMPENSATION UNTIL FIVE OR SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT
OF THE RESUMPTION, AND SOME OF THEM STILL REGARD THE COMPENSATION
OFFERS AS UNREASONABLE AND UNFAIR.
2. THE MAIN COMMENTS ON THE MAIN POINTS RAISED IN THE PETITION
ARE AS FOLLOWS:
A. THE SEVEN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS AT SAI LAU KOK WERE RESUMED BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR UNDER SECTION 4(1) OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE CHAPTER
276. THE RESUMPTION WAS GAZETTED ON 12.5.78 THE LAND AND THE BUILDINGS REVERTED TO THE CROWN ON 12.11.78.
3. UNDER THE ORDINANCE ANY PERSON ENTITLED TO ANY COMPENSATION MAY SUBMIT CLAIMS TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS WITHIN ONE YEAR OF
THE REVERSION DATE.
C. IN PRACTICE, HOWEVER, THE MTO STAFF HAVE BEEN MAKING OFFERS TO
ALL OWNERS WHO WERE WILLING TO ALLOW SURVEYS OF PREMISES FOR THE
PURPOSE OF CALCULATING COMPENSATION.
D. THE CLEARANCE DAY HAS BEEN FIXED FOR 17 JULY, WHEN NOT ONLY THOSE
WHO HAVE HAD THEIR FLATS MEASURED (SURVEYED) NEED TO VACATE FROM
THEIR PREMISES BUT ALL OCCUPANTS OF THESE SEVEN BUILDINGS.
E. THE GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER ENDORSED A FLAT-FOR-FLAT OR SHOP-FOR-
SHOP COMPENSATION SCHEME, AND THE COMPENSATION FOR PREMISES IS BASED ON THEIR FULL MARKET VALUE AT THE DATE OF REVERSION, IE
12.11.78.
*
/F. THE