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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. R. H. S. LEE:-During the current financial year Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the Commissioner for Resettlement a supplementary question: How many loans have been granted by these voluntary organizations and how well known are such agencies to the settlers?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I have no information at present, Mr. Chairman, on just how many loans have been made but I will make enquiries and see that the information is given to Dr. LEE.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI-Is it correct that the ex-pigbreeders and ex-cultivators have in the past been offered shops as an alternative to their being offered compensation?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-The position with ex-pigbreeders and ex-cultivators is that as far as the ex-cultivators are concerned, they have been paid ex gratia compensation according to the area of the land cultivated, both for the crops they may have lost and also for the land itself, and have in addition been allocated shop premises, the size of the shop premises being related to the amount of cultivation. As far as ex-pigbreeders are concerned, there is no system for compensation to be paid to them, but they were nevertheless allocated shop premises.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI: Is it true, Sir, that shop premises will no longer be offered to future ex-pigbreeders and ex-cultivators?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -Mr. Chairman, that is the position, and in order to ameliorate the difficulties of these two groups of people, further compensation is to be paid to ex-cultivators, and ex-pigbreeders will get compensation for the first time.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI-I should like to express a personal opinion; that is a very much better solution,
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contractor they like. On intake, new tenants are issued with a notice drawing their attention to Condition 2(a) of the tenancy agreement. This Condition prohibits a tenant from making alterations to his room without the necessary written permission of an authorized officer. For enclosure of a balcony of a domestic room in a Mark III or IV block, or for decoration of a shop, workshop or restaurant, approval must first be sought from the Works Division of the department, to ensure that the alteration will cause no structural damage or dangerous conditions, for instance electrically. But there is no question of tenants being required to engage designated contractors. Estates staff are well aware of this procedure.
(3) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
The Chairman will recall that questions have been raised in the past in the Council with a view to urging Government to sponsoring an oceanarium for Hong Kong; will the Chairman inquire from Government whether any tentative site or sites have been earmarked for a proposed oceanarium pending completion of the feasibility report by the specialist invited by the Hong Kong Tourist Association, and Government's decision thereon? Can Government give an indication as to the number and location of the tentative site or sites?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:-
A site on the western side of Deep Water Bay near the Hong Kong Country Club has been provisionally earmarked for a possible Oceanarium by the Public Works Department. This is the only site so reserved.
(2) DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question :-
Is it true that settlers of Resettlement Estates who wish to make improvement to their domestic room or decorate their shop must engage contractors designated by Estate Officers, and not those of their own choice? If it is true, the Commissioner for Resettlement quote the Authority for this practice?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
It is not the case that tenants are required to engage contractors designated by the estates staff. They may choose any contractor they like. On intake, new tenants are issued with a notice drawing their attention to Condition 2(a) of the tenancy agreement. This Condition prohibits a tenant from making alterations to his room without the necessary written permission of an authorized officer. For enclosure of a balcony of a domestic room in a Mark III or IV block, or for decoration of a shop, workshop or restaurant, approval must first be sought from the Works Division of the department, to ensure that the alteration will cause no structural damage or dangerous conditions, for instance electrically. But there is no question of tenants being required to engage designated contractors. Estates staff are well aware of this procedure.
(4) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
Will the Chairman please state whether the Urban Services Department staff have been co-operating during 1965 with the Police by reporting any cases of gambling in side-lanes during cleansing operations or inspection by Urban Services Department officers of side-lanes? If so, can the Chairman provide any information in this respect? Since gambling stalls have reportedly been operating in some side-lanes in the urban areas, would the Chairman
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