HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1954
Government at reduced rates of interest. All housing schemes must have the prior approval of the Govern- ment which maintains a general control over the activities of the Authority.
Routine administration and the execution of the decisions of the Authority are carried out by the Housing Division of the Urban Services Department, under the control of the Director of that department, who is also the Chairman of the Housing Authority. Only the nucleus of this Division has been so far appointed. The full organization of the Division will include sections to deal with general administration, accounts, and estate management, but of these only the first has so far been set up. It was intended that the design and construction of all buildings for the Authority should be undertaken by the Public Works Department, but owing to pressure of work that depart- ment has been unable to accept this commitment. A suitable organization is now being built up but until it is ready to start work the Authority has had to rely on private architects.
The first meeting of the Authority was held in June. Select committees were set up and at once met to consider the various problems that came within their respective provinces. Draft by-laws were prepared and a tentative scheme for the selection of tenants was drawn up; financial arrangements of the Authority, particularly in its relations with Government, were con- sidered, basic specifications were drawn up for flats to be constructed by the Authority and a search was made for suitable building sites. Progress in some of these. matters was slow; by the end of the year the by-laws.
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