variety and include evictions, heroin cases, applications from voluntary agencies for the allocation of rooftops or rooms, other matters connected with the health and welfare of the settlers, and the hundred and one problems which must arise when very large numbers of people have to live together at such close quarters. Secondly, each Member of the Council may, if he so wishes, become a Visiting Member to the estates and will then visit one section of about two blocks every month. This close personal contact between the Members of the Council and the multi-storey estates is of great assistance to the administrative staff.
65. On 31st March, 1960 114 six- and seven-storey blocks had been completed and occupied, providing a total of 48,389 rooms and 347 flats, in nine estates. The population in multi-storey accommodation was 242,351 persons, while a further 4,470 persons were still living in the 564 rooms of the remaining 12 two- and three-storey bungalows in Shek Kip Mei. The total population was 246,821 persons, comprising 48,034 families and 3,242 single persons, the average family size being 5.07 persons (excluding single persons). Details of this population may be found at Appendix I at the end of this Report.
CHAPTER V
THE COTTAGE AREAS
66. The fourteen cottage resettlement areas present a striking contrast to the uniformity of the multi-storey estates, with their wide diversity of buildings ranging from simple wooden huts erected by settlers them- selves to the attractive stone cottages built by voluntary agencies. In addition to domestic structures there are in these areas shops, factories, schools, clinics and welfare centres of various kinds. Government's contribution to this development has been limited to the formation of sites, the provision of roads, paths, drains, and latrines, and the installa- tion of public lighting and water standpipes. Settlers pay quarterly permit fees for the sites they occupy, the amount depending both on the size of the site and the location of the area: for an average site of between 150 and 170 square feet the permit fee is $5 a quarter in the outlying areas and $15 in the central areas. If the permittee does not own the cottage he occupied he also pays a monthly rent or hire- purchase payment to the owner.
67. The part played by charitable and non-profit-making organiza- tions in the development of cottage areas has been considerable. Since 1954 the National Catholic Welfare Conference have built 2,592 stone
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