51
REPORT OF THE WAR DAMAGED SITES COMMITTEE.
Terms of Reference.
**
To consider and to make recommendations as to the measures (legislative or otherwise) necessary to be taken to secure clearance of war-damaged sites."
(The original expression was "bomb-damaged sites" but it has been taken that the intention was a much wider one and the Committee has used the expression "war- damaged site”).
As a result of questions asked in Legislative Council on the 14th April, 1948, by Sir Man Kam Lo, the Chairman of the Committee received directions that the Committee's terms must necessarily include "whether, and if so when and in what manner and with what modifications, Crown Lessees of war damaged sites should be called upon to pay rent and to remedy the breaches of the covenants contained in their respective leases". As the performance of such covenants entails the rebuilding of premises which have been destroyed, the Committee have considered, as an essential implication of the terms of reference, the question of the further development of sites which have been cleared.
2.
Two limitations on the terms of reference are taken to be acceptable—
(i) That the Committee assumes that there is no need to deal in this Report with sites for which the Crown is responsible, since it is known that the cost has been estimated and the estimate provided for: the work is proceeding.
(ii) The Committee were for some time concerned with the problem created by the presence of squatters on many war damaged sites, and the matter was discussed at length with the Deputy Director of Health Services. In view of the fact that a report on this aspect of the problem has already in the main been accepted by Government, and accords with the views of the Committee, it is not considered necessary to enlarge on this any further. It is perhaps material to record in this connec- tion that the Committee has been advised that when work of rehabili- tation commences on a site the squatters move on.
Visits and Representations.
3. The meetings of the Committee have been supplemented by visits in Hong Kong and Kowloon to typical sites and areas, Dr. Yeo accompanying the Com- mittee on the visit to Kowloon. Representations from the public which had been invited by the Committee were confined to letters from--
Hong Kong Property Owners' Association,
Hong Kong Council of Women,
and
Two letters to Mr. Kwok Chan from individuals.
Two letters to and a personal call by individuals upon the Land Officer. The Committee was, however, very much assisted by an exhaustive memorandum which had earlier been prepared by Sir Man Kam Lo, which is attached hereto as Appendix B, and by a subsequent memorandum by Mr. J. B. Griffin, attached as Appendix C.
Extent of the, Problem.
4. Under the aegis of the Urban Council and at the request of the Director of Public Works lists of sites affected by war damage were drawn up. From informa- tion available to the Committee it would appear that these lists, which were prepared