persons to a figure of about 450,000 within the next four or five years.
126. For how many more years it will be necessary to continue the building of multi-storey blocks and what the final population of the resettlement areas is likely to be no one can predict with accuracy. The answers depend on many unknown factors: the rate at which funds can continue to be provided for such a vast building programme; the availability of the necessary architectural and engineering staff; whether the difficulties of earning a living in Hong Kong will drive settlers and squatters to return to their native places in China; and, not least of all, the rate at which both settlers and squatters continue to produce children.
30th September, 1957.
A. ST. G. WALTON, Commissioner for Resettlement.
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