property, blocking of surface drainage channels, competition with tenants of resettlement shops, occupation of the limited amount of open space intended for recreation or other purposes and the creation of traffic hazards.
78. A proposal was considered during the year to let out the cleans- ing of estates to contract rather than use departmental labour as at present. The object of the proposal was to improve sanitary conditions and to reduce the recurrent cost of cleansing. A contract was let to a private cleansing company in Lo Fu Ngam and Sau Mau Ping Estates on 1st November, 1965, but it proved to be a failure in that the con- tractor had apparently underestimated the size and nature of the job and suffered from an inability to recruit and supervise his staff. The department finally terminated the contract on 12th November, 1965 for non-compliance with its conditions.
79. During the year under review, the headquarters of the Estates Division was situated in the Resettlement Department headquarters at Ho Man Tin. There the staff take the more important decisions in tenancy work, deal with all aspects of general management of the estates, and formulate any necessary changes of policy for approval by the competent authority which, in the urban areas, is the Urban Council. An important part of the work consists of preparing papers on policy matters for select committees, drafting replies to questions asked at meetings of the Urban Council, and answering Councillors' letters on individual cases and on a variety of subjects. The manage- ment of estates involves many complex problems such as the assessment of domestic shop and factory rents, the cleansing of estates and hawker control, and a constant endeavour to improve efficiency and manage- ment techniques without employing professional housing managers. Close liaison is maintained with the Government Architect of the Public Works Department, especially in matters of detail arising from the opening of new estates. The division is also in continuous touch with the Police, Urban Services and other departments closely involved with the work of the Resettlement Department.
80.
CHAPTER 7
WELFARE IN THE ESTATES AND COTTAGE AREAS
The resettlement estates and areas, with their large concentra- tions of people, present both a great need and a great opportunity for welfare work of all descriptions. Apart from the many activities already
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