156
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
leading the Government to decide that further squatting on roof-tops must be prevented if a serious new fire and health risk was to be avoided. A survey of all roof-tops in November showed that the number of roof-top squatters was about 63,000, and these persons have been urged to find other accommodation; it is not possible at present to offer them resettlement. Every roof in the urban areas is now regularly visited by patrols, and all huts erected since the date of the completion of the survey are by law required to be de- molished.
The larger squatter areas which were such a serious fire risk have now all been cleared, and the total number of per- sons resettled has reached the figure of over 205,000, while schemes already approved and under way will provide accom- modation for a further 85,000. When these schemes are com- pleted, the population of the resettlement areas and estates will total 290,000, but there will still be about 190,000 persons living as squatters, not including the 63,000 persons in huts on roof-tops.
A year ago the chief obstacle to the solution of the squatter problem seemed likely to be lack of suitable large sites for new resettlement estates. This difficulty has now been over- come, and the problem is now mainly one of finding ways and means of accelerating the engineering works on the sewers, drains, roads and piped water supplies which must be provided before the available sites can be occupied.
Particulars of the population and of the different types of premises in the cottage areas and the multi-storey estates are as follows:
A. Population
1 Jan. 56.
31 Dec. 56.
Cottage Areas
(one-storey buildings)
67,968
72,843
Multi-Storey Estates
(a) 2-storey temporary buildings (b) 6- and 7-storey permanent
36,312
30,147
buildings
48,803
102,901
153,083
205,891