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100
GHS +100
UNCLASSIFIED
HICK 173/2
ONG KONG 140205Z JUL 79
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 649 OF 14 JULY
INFO F C O (VILLIAMSON HKGD).
MY TELNO 618.
92
Hick 360/2.
19 JUL 1977
No igm,
377
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 DY 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.
B. 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 KTO 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 (SURVEYID) NEED TO VACATE PROM THEIR PREMISES BUT ALL OCCUPANTS OF THESE SEVEN BUILDINGS.
E. THE GOVENIMENT HAS NEVER ENDORSED A FLAT-FOR-FLAT OR SHOP-FOR- SHOP COMPENSATION SCHERS, AND THE COMPENSATION FOR PREMISES 15 16 BASED ON THE FULL MARKET MAQUE AT THE DATE OF TEVRSTON, TE 311.78.
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