small area, the Select Committee agreed in 1967 that an area outside. the restaurants could be covered over and used on permit for outside seating for customers. 349 permits for this purpose have been issued, at a fee of approximately 10¢ a square foot a month. Some restaurant operators, however, continue to use estate courtyards for cooking and food preparation; action is being taken against these illegalities in con- cert with the Urban Services Department. Provision was, however, made for restaurants at the ends of Mark III blocks, while the Mark IV and V estates have detached annex restaurants. Two-storey restau- rants of approximately 2,750 square feet in area are now being provided in the later estates at a ratio of 1 to 12,000 population. In 1969, a new policy was approved whereby all future shops would be let on three-year renewable leases, the tenants being selected from experienced business- men by public tender. This has allowed for better planning of commer- cial facilities in the new estates, and the reservation of fewer but larger shop premises. During the year, 12 shops and 7 restaurant premises in 4 estates were let by public tender, premia of $356,495.00 being realized.
CLEANSING
58. The old estates have always been cleaned by direct labour, that is by labourers at a manning scale of 1 to 110 rooms, supervised by gangers, chargemen and foremen. A staff of over 2,700 has been re- quired for this purpose. In the Mark I, II and III blocks, in addition to sweeping staircases and verandahs, these labourers also clean the communal lavatories as well as the open areas surrounding the block. Under this system, however, the door-to-door collection of household refuse has not been carried out by departmental staff, and residents have either had to engage private contractors to collect their refuse, or dispose of it themselves. There are refuse chutes in the Mark III and IV blocks, but as these have to be left open all day for residents' use they get very dirty.
59. It was agreed in principle, therefore, that all Mark IV and later blocks should be cleaned by contract labour. Under this system, which is cheaper than direct labour, the cleaning of the blocks is done by labourers employed by private contractors selected by competitive tender. Refuse is collected door-to-door early in the morning, each labourer being responsible for 140 rooms. The refuse rooms are under the control of the contractors and are cleaned daily and kept locked. During the year the system was extended to 93 blocks in new and exist-
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