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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
In the urban area 720 registered squatter huts including rooftop huts were completely destroyed and 1,353 partially destroyed, i.e. damage to roof and one wall 2,774 families totalling approximately 15,770 persons, were affected and received $184,240 for compensation. In addition, 401 huts in Cottage Areas were destroyed and 1,167 damaged. 1,882 families were affected and $113,980 paid for compensation. At Rennie's Mill Village $51,140 in compensation was also paid out by the Department to 983 families. 134 huts were destroyed and 781 damaged.
3. I have already dealt with the question of temporary accommodation for the homeless and cash grants but there were other forms of assistance. Resites were offered where original hut sites were unsuitable or dangerous. This applied in particular to rooftop huts. Resites were made available at Mount Davis, Chai Wan and the Shek Kip Mei Area. The total number of people so resited was 461. Some materials, wood and metal sheets were issued to squatters to assist in repairs to huts.
4. With regard to (b), there were no approaches by persons who are known to be ineligible for eventual resettlement although 145 occupants of condemned tenements which became dangerous due to the typhoon were resited.
5. I should like to pay tribute to the way in which members of the Department exerted themselves in assessing the damage and particularly in effecting the early payments which involved a great deal of overtime work cheerfully and willingly performed.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Although I have no supplementary questions, Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity of associating myself with the tribute paid by the Commissioner as expressed in paragraph 5 of his reply.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I am most grateful for the tribute.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
the Resettlement Department had moved out, thus creating an obvious danger to life and limb of the squatters concerned:
(a) Do building contractors or the Building Authority advise the Resettlement Department in advance before demolition work commences on buildings where there are registered squatters?
(b) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement ask Government what it proposes to do to ensure that there is minimum danger to human life in this regard?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
The Building Authority has undertaken to advise this Department of applications received by them for demolition permits. Officers of the Department then check whether there are any rooftop squatters or pavement squatters who may be affected so that arrangements can be made for these people to move elsewhere.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- By way of clarification, Mr. Chairman, may I ask whether in the last sentence of the answer given by the Commissioner there is a typographical error in the omission of the word "will" between "Department" and "then"?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: There is no typographical error, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Arising out of that answer, Mr. Chairman, may I ask whether the Building Authority has all the time been advising the Resettlement Department of applications received by them for demolition permits?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- On previous occasions, the people who were demolishing had in fact made application to the Department, but recently an arrangement has been made for the Public Works Department to inform the Department direct.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- I won't ask any more supplementaries, Mr. Chairman.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
There have been recently a number of cases where contractors have commenced demolition work on buildings before roof-top squatters and pavement squatters registered with
MR. FUNG HON-CHU asked the following question:
Will the Chairman please inform this Council whether a routine procedure is in force in Hong Kong for the measuring of radioactivity in foodstuffs imported from countries, where,
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