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standard permits. To my knowledge, a number of basement dwellers who originally applied for standard permits, finding it impossible or, for financial reasons, uneconomical to comply with the requirements imposed in such permits, withdrew their applications and instead simply applied for sub-standard permits which were invariably granted as a matter of course.
What is the position today? In many areas both on the Island and in Kowloon hitherto considered to be moderately good residential districts, basements and garages have been turned into domestic dwellings sometimes divided into numerous cubicles each occupied by a different family with no more than the most elementary means of sanitation. Those who live there, on account of the lack of space and the necessary facilities, are driven to the necessity of having to wash, cook and bathe, and in the summer months sleep on the pavements and scavenging lanes outside. You may well imagine the condition to which these public footpaths and lanes have been reduced. To those who may regard my observations as an overstatement, I would invite them to make an inspection of some of these districts and I have in mind Castle Road on the Island, the Homuntin District in Kowloon and many other districts. They will find that what were reasonably good residential districts have been turned into virtual slums. This view I believe is shared by all members of the Select Committee. It seems to me curious, Sir, that whilst on the one hand Council is trying to clear slums, on the other hand it is in fact creating new ones.
What has Council done so far in the matter? Warnings have been given both verbally and by means of notices, all of which went unheeded. Summonses have been taken out spasmodically which merited at the most a nominal fine from the Bench. In one or two cases where the question of cancellation came before the relevant Select Committee, there was such a divergence of opinion that to this day no positive action has been taken. Doubt was even expressed that even though we were to cancel the permits, the Magistrate may not order the eviction of the basement dweller although his power to do so is clearly laid down in the Public Health (Sanitation) (Amendment) Ordinance, 1956. I can safely say that up to today despite the many hundreds of permits which have been issued only in one or two cases have this Council decided to cancel such permits. If I were to assume that this is indicative of the satisfactory condition in which basements are occupied I would indeed be living in a fool's paradise.
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to assume that this is indicative of the satisfactory condition in which basements are occupied I would indeed be living in a fool's paradise.
The underlying principle of the policy, as I understand, is to protect those who were in illegal occupation of basements at that time. I have no quarrel whatsoever with that principle; but I express grave doubts as to whether the Council ever intended or visualized that reasonably desirable residential districts should be turned virtually into slums.
This is a long Debate and I do not wish to tax the patience of members by a long and windy speech. I think I have made my point clear.
It may not yet be too late for Council to remedy this abuse by overhauling its existing Basement Policy, before more harm is done.
With those words, Sir, I have much pleasure in supporting your Motion. (Applause).
DR. A. M. S. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, as former speakers have already indicated the Reform Club Elected Members are supporting the Motion and so much has already been said both upon it and upon everything else as well that I do not intend to take up Members' time at any great length.
I feel however, that I must express some concern that in what is a well considered and well drawn up document setting forth the programme of this Council for next year there is no reference at all to the Housing Authority despite the fact that this Council through its Members constitutes an overwhelming majority on that other body. There is no question of these Members being named individually; the Ordinance is quite clear, that all Members of the Urban Council as such are automatically Members of the Housing Authority and if the Housing Authority is not going to have public meetings occasionally as suggested by Mr. Philip Au then we may well find it necessary to debate in this Council the policies to be adopted in its relations with the Housing Authority. I am sure that the Housing Authority does have a great future before it but it is still going through its teething stage. There is much public criticism of the amounts of rental and we have had to raise the upper limit of income group to enable us to find suitable tenants for the more expensive flats at North Point.
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