31. Altogether there were 126 clearances of land during the year. 47 clearances involved land under cultivation, and of these 10 clearances did not involve the resettlement of any persons. The total area of cultivated land cleared during 1960-61 was 33.75 acres, for which ex-gratia compensation amounting to $1,039,457.25 was paid.
32. A summary of the year's clearance operations is attached as an appendix to this chapter.
APPENDIX TO CHAPTER III
SUMMARY OF CLEARANCE AND RESETTLEMENT OPERATIONS
1st April, 1960 to 31st March, 1961
A.
Land required for development
Number of
Purposes for which
Acres
land is required
Number of Persons cleared and
cleared
resettled
1.
Resettlement Estates
36.78
16,339
2.
Other Housing Schemes
38.97
3,472
3.
Schools, Playgrounds, Parks and Recreation
Centres
7.74
8,024
4.
சம்ம்
Engineering Works (Roads and Reservoirs, etc.)
60.97
4,765
5.
Public Buildings
4.43
2,150
***
Sale Exchange or Private Development
6.61
5,141
Totals
155.50
39,891
B.
Land not required for development
1.06
4,512
Grand Totals
156.56
44,403
CHAPTER IV
THE COTTAGE AREAS
33. When squatters are cleared they are resettled; that is, they are provided with somewhere else to live. The first clearances in Hong Kong were in 1948; squatters in central areas, chiefly bombed sites, were offered sites in more outlying areas, which, it was then thought, would not be required for other development in the foreseeable future. These areas were designated 'resettlement areas'. Government laid out the areas with roads, paths and drains and installed latrines, water stand pipes and public lighting; but the settlers at first built their own structures. Not surprisingly most of these structures were not of a very high standard.
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