2
considerable proportion for amenities which are shared by the rural
areas and also, of course, it provides for land formation and
infrastructure for the benefit of people who will move into the
new towns in the future. I am sure that Mr. TAI is quite right
in his general dissatisfaction with the sanitation of many areas
and although the first part of his question related to sewerage
and it was the second part which related to access, I think that,
in fact, the two together are the prime reasons for the lack of
satisfactory sanitation in these areas. I think the basic
question is how to tackle the sewerage problem in those areas and
I think perhaps the best way forward may be, and we certainly
hope it will be, through schemes such as we are starting in Sun
Hing Chuen, north of Tuen Mun, where we are putting in a basic
system of local roads and sewerage which should make a considerable
improvement in this area. It is a pilot scheme and I believe
that it has wider application, provided that we can keep the costs
down to a reasonable amount. Whether we will be able to do so
or not, I think will depend upon how we in fact are able to deal
with the private land question because in many parts of the New
Territories where the sanitary conditions are worst, there is very
little Crown land available for use for roads. Although, Sir,
you on my behalf suggested that the second part of the question
might not be answered, there is one point I would like to make.
TAI may have noticed and I hope he is pleased, that I
mentioned there was $7.5 million provision for maintenance and
that includes access roads.
Mr.
I do believe that
If the question of private land
issue which is holding up the maintenance and use of these funds
access roads in rural areas, the problem can be overcome
is
the
main
on