this survey that he will not be eligible for rehousing. Screening takes place immediately after this first survey; the exact details of all residents eligible for rehousing are entered on a form, and the head of household is issued with an identity card. About a month prior to the actual clearance, all eligible families are put in touch with the staff of the public housing estate to which they are moving so that flats may be allocated to them.
27. A special unit in the department checks the rehousing eligibility of persons who, at first sight, do not appear to be living in the clearance area. Generally speaking, once clearance procedures start, the popula- tion in the clearance area increases by about 10%; newcomers move in in the hope of getting public housing.
CLEARANCES DURING THE YEAR
28. During the year, operators of private schools in squatter areas and cottage areas involved in clearances who satisfied certain eligibility criteria were, for the first time, paid ex-gratia compensation. The rate of payment is uniform at $30 a square foot, subject to the maximum payment of $20,000.00 in any one case.
29. During 1972-73, the department cleared about 58.53 acres of land in 130 operations, including 31 which involved 14.5 acres of cultivation and for which $631,968.89 was paid in compensation. These clearances were undertaken for the following purposes:
Acres Cleared
Resettlement estates
***
Private and Government Low Cost Housing
Roads, drainage and reservoirs...
Schools, playgrounds and parks
Public buildings
Land sales and development
Total
3.5
...
1.3
...
26.39
...
...
...
1.77
...
12.42
:
13.15
58.53
30. 38,582 persons were rehoused or otherwise re-accommodated, 14,956 less than the 53,538 rehoused during the previous year. In addition, 5,277 persons moved from overcrowded rooms in old estates into new accommodation. The breakdown by the priority categories used in the 1970 Housing Board Report is as follows:
7