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that period, this group of persons having been included in Priority or Category 4 of my answer. However, in my department, we normally group pavement and scavenging lane dwellers together for statistical purposes. In October last year, there were 3,443 Yellow numbered pavement and scavenging lane huts, housing 8,058 persons.
All except about 900 of these huts (2,000 persons) have been cleared either direct into Resettlement or into resite areas. Of these, 580 persons in various parts of Hong Kong Island are due to be cleared later this month leaving about 1,400 persons still to be cleared. There are, in addition, about 1,400 Red numbered pavement and scavenging lane huts housing 4,550 persons. Some of these have been resited, but none have been moved direct into resettlement. In round figures therefore, there will be about 4,500 pavement and scavenging lane hut dwellers by the end of this month as compared with about 12,600 a year or so ago. I have just referred to Yellow and Red numbered huts. Perhaps I should have explained that Yellow numbered huts are those which were recorded in the Survey carried out in November, 1959, and Red numbered huts are those first detected since that date and recorded with Red numbers in the November, 1964 survey.
MR. SALES: ---May I, Sir, thank the Commissioner for Resettlement for all the clear answers he has given to our questions?
MR. HU-Mr. Chairman, I still do not understand the priority of decanting. The Commissioner has said that each priority is based on the merit of each case, on the priority shall we say. In some instances it is easier to decant than others, because there are not so many awaiting decantation, but generally speaking, it is if a family falls below 16 sq. ft. of adult living space? If a family falls below this level say, in January of next year, it is recorded, for example, as No. 110 for decanting in that Estate and will come up for decanting after No. 109 on the list before it. What generally is the working principle of decantation? Occasionally someone may jump the priority if a suitable accommodation is available for the particular size of family. And you are the person who is responsible for deciding this priority?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: --Indirectly so. It is left to the estate staff and if any question of doubt were to arise it would certainly be referred to me and then to the Management Select Committee for their consideration.
(12) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware that gambling is always going on in the rear lane between No. 14 and No. 16 Queen's Road Central particularly in the afternoon between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.? Has such gambling greatly effected the proper use of the said lane to the detriment of our health services and other services administered by this Council and also the peace and tranquillity of the neighbourhood?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
I am not aware that gambling is carried on in the lane to which you refer. I have paid three visits to this area since 29th September. There was a number of baskets stacked in the lane, which is a private one, but the general standard of cleanliness was reasonable and I found no evidence of gambling.
As you are aware, Sir, I am prepared to assist in these matters as far as I reasonably can, but the responsibility for the control of gambling is a matter which is primarily the concern of the Commissioner of Police. I understand that this lane and other side lanes and alleys off Queen's Road Central have been under observation by the Police in recent months but no signs of gambling have been observed.
MR. HU-I thank you very much for your second paragraph of your answer but, with regard to the first paragraph, I think either you went to the wrong place at the wrong time or you were wrongly informed. (Laughter) The gambling as a matter of fact, was taking place each day apparently before the 29th of September, probably from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. without any interruption. Because, the gambling was on a very small scale, one to three tables of mahjong was played there. There was no organized gambling, as in other places we could see, but in this Central area it is most undesirable for gambling to be taking place to disturb the tranquillity of the neighbourhood and also to show the tourist that in a Central area mahjong is played. So, although I am grateful to you for the second paragraph, I still think you went to the wrong place. (Laughter)
CHAIRMAN: -I assure you Sir, I did not go to the wrong place. (Laughter) I am able count up to sixteen. (Laughter) I went to the lane between 14 and 16 and, just to make sure, I went to the next lane as well.
I went between three o'clock in the afternoon and seven o'clock in the evening, which is the time mentioned in your question, and I saw nothing to suggest that any gambling was going on. In fact, if I may say so, all I saw was peace and tranquillity. (Laughter)
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, may I congratulate you in your initiative in going forward to the assistance of the Police as indicated in the second paragraph of your reply. Can I ask you Sir, whether you were wearing your Auxiliary Policeman's uniform?
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