GRS 534
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Hier 175
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 31
3 SEP 1979
FM HONG KONG 030910Z SEP 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1233 OF 3 SEPTEMBER
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
SA! LAU KOK CLEARANCE.
0
OFFICER
ACT
1. THE FOLLOWING IS THE LATEST POSITION REGARDING CLEARANCE OPERATIONS INVOLVING SEVEN SIX STOREY BUILDINGS AT SAI LAU KOK IN THE TSUEN WAN AREA WHICH REVERTED TO THE CROWN IN NOVEMBER 1978.
SINCE JANUARY 1978 THERE HAVE BEEN PROLONGED AND LARGELY SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS AIMED AT CLEARING SEVEN TENEMENT BUILDINGS
TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY STATION
AT TSUEN WAN, THE MAJORITY OF THE OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS HAVE ACCEPTED THE COMPENSATION OFFERED AND HAVE EITHER MOVED OUT OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO. HOWEVER ABOUT 70 OWNERS HAVE REJECTED ALL COMPENSATION OFFERS AND SIGNIFIED THEIR INTENTION TO OPPOSE
REMOVAL.
3. THE COMPENSATION OFFERED CONSISTS OF THE FULL MARKET VALUE OF
PREMISES AT THE DATE OF REVERSION IN NOVEMBER 1978, PLUS INTEREST TO THE DATE OF ACCEPTANCE AND EITHER PUBLIC HOUSING OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS BUYING ANOTHER FLAT,
4. THE COMPLETION OF THE CLEARANCE IS CRITICAL FOR THE MTR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME AND THE PROCESS OF EVICTION AND PREP- ARATIONS FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE FIRST THREE BUILDINGS STARTED TODAY, THE WHOLE OPERATION IS PLANNED TO TAKE ABOUT SIX WEEKS.
5. ON 1ST SEPTEMBER FOLLOWING A MEETING OF RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS A NUMBER OF THOSE PRESENT BROKE DOWN A GATE IN THE FENCE SURROUNDING THE BUILDINGS. THIS LED TO A SCUFFLE IN WHICH TWO POLICEMEN AND SEVEN RESIDENTS WERE INJURED, TWO PERSONS WERE CHARED WITH ASSAULTING THE POLICE AND CRIMINAL DAMAGE AND WERE
RELEASED ON DOLLARS 300 BAIL TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY. THE CASE
6. CLEARANCE HAS BEEN ADJOURNED TO 28TH SEPTEMBER.
CONFIDENTIAL