HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Cheung Sha Wan and elsewhere for boatyard and sawmill purposes, so that those engaged in these trades at Cheung Sha Wan would have an opportunity to buy and develop new sites in advance of their clearance. Other industries in the area will be eligible for flatted factory resettlement subject, in some cases, to a change of trade and to present covered working space not being in excess of 5,000 square feet for each concern.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, may I ask the Commissioner, through you, if in these cases, as in the case of Ngau Tau Kok, notice was given orally and not in writing?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- As I said in my answer, the first indication at Ngau Tau Kok was given over 2 years ago, in January 1963, and was an oral warning. I can also add to that that in February or March of the same year I warned personally the Chairman of the Ngau Tau Kok Industrialists' Federation, Mr. Lo To, that the area would have to be cleared and that all industrialists should be thinking of somewhere else to move to, the sooner the better.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether Mr. WAKEFIELD, the Commissioner, realizes that people do not take much notice of oral warnings. Except in the case of sudden removal of illegal structures that have been erected in certain areas, would it be reasonable and possible to give six months' written notice to domestic premises and three years' written notice to factories giving an exact date, so that people may know what they are supposed to be doing?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I am afraid, Mr. Chairman, we cannot go beyond the provisions contained in my answer here, that as much warning as possible will be given, but in general we have already given the domestic squatters up to six months' notice of clearance.
MR. HENRY HU:- Mr. Chairman, I have one question to ask in regard to the third paragraph of the Commissioner's answer. He said that 82% of the industries to be cleared are eligible for resettlement in resettlement flatted factories. He did not mention what is the area he would give to them. For example, I am informed that certain factories, which occupy 3,000 square feet would only have about 300 square feet, in the resettlement estate, or about 10% of the original area. So that is very important: if 82% of the industries are eligible for space in the resettlement estate and you only give them about 10% of the original occupied area, that makes very little space. I would like to know what is the percentage of the new area you give to those factories which are eligible for resettlement with regard to their original area.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Generally the principle is that those industries that are eligible for resettlement, in other words, that are not in excess of 5,000 square feet of covered space for each concern, are allocated approximately the same amount of covered space. It may be a little smaller in some cases, because the individual units in resettlement flatted factories are approximately 250 square feet. However, if Mr. Hu has any information on the particular case where there has been a considerably reduced allocation, I would be pleased to look into that.
MR. HU: Thank you.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, cannot at least a year's written notice be given to industries?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I would not wish to commit Government to having to give a year's notice in the case of industries in every instance. In fact, in the case of Ngau Tau Kok the industrialists will have a full year's notice before they are cleared.
MR. BERNACCHI:- I have come across cases where the actual occupiers of domestic accommodation have been forced to leave by the owner of the hut in question. To prevent that, cannot the survey be done either with the issue of the white cards or after the issue of the white cards?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, as I have indicated, the preliminary survey is to meet a request from the Superintendent of Crown Lands and that is to obtain details as to how many persons, industries, etc., are affected. It may be that a clearance cannot be effected for something like 12 or 18 months, and it would be incorrect or inappropriate to issue white cards so much in advance of clearance.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, may I ask the Commissioner, through you, if he would bear in mind that oral promises apparently mean nothing and just as in the case of Ngau Tau Kok, the people said they were promised orally that they could stay till 1967. It is just as likely that if they were told to move in 1964 it is likely to be wrong, and therefore oral notices are not suitable.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I will bear that in mind.
(3) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
(a) Did the Resettlement Management or Policy Select Committees decide on 12 square feet as the minimum space per adult person before decantation could be granted?
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