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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
eligible to be resettled according to the present policy? Are there any vacancies in such resite area? Also, is there any other public housing in the Aberdeen area?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
In reply to a question by Mrs. ELLIOTT at last month's meeting of Council, I gave details of licensed areas where there were vacancies. There are vacancies at present at Ap Lei Chau itself but not at Shek Pai Wan, which is the other licensed area in the vicinity.
Both squatters and licensed area permittees in the Aberdeen area can apply for flats in Wah Fu Estate or in Wong Chuk Hang Government Low Cost Housing estate where, I understand, there are many vacancies.
MR. HU:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask the Commissioner for Resettlement if he is aware that the people living in the Ap Lei Chau resite area would have to pay very high expenses for crossing the very small part of the sea to Aberdeen. 40 cents per trip?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Yes, I am aware of that.
MR. HU:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask, arising from the second paragraph of this answer to my question, is there a great difference between the rent of Government Low Cost Housing and a Resettlement Estate?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-There is a difference, Sir, I believe it is about $4 to $5 only for comparable accommodation.
MR. HU:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask, the point that there are very few people applying for the Government Low Cost Housing, is that because of insufficient propaganda to the general public?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I am afraid I do not know what the underlying reason is, but there certainly has been some propaganda and I hope that will continue and even be stepped up.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask whether anything can be done by liaison with other Government departments or otherwise about this cost of 40 cents to get to Ap Lei Chau?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-That is rather outside my province, Sir, but I will look into it and consult the appropriate department.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(4) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question:
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I have noted that many streets are not indicated adequately by street name signs, and buildings, particularly the older buildings, are not numbered. Can measures be taken to rectify this?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
I am informed that, since Dr. BELL asked a similar question in November 1966, the Roads and Drainage Divisions of the Public Works Department have been active in providing new name plates and repairing existing ones. In this period, 567 new street name plates have been erected and 93 existing name plates have been repaired on Hong Kong Island. The figures for Kowloon are 492 and 142 respectively.
There may, of course, still be instances where it is difficult to find the name of a street, and I am informed by the Director of Public Works that he will investigate any deficiencies brought to his attention.
Mr. Chairman, with regard to numbers on houses, I am informed by the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation that a survey has just been completed of all pre-war premises. The survey included investigating the adequacy of numbers, and it was found that 81% of such properties were clearly and correctly marked. 1,720 individual letters, drawing the attention of the owners of the other 19% to the inadequate state of their house numbering, were sent. The response to this letter has been gratifying, but the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation still intends to make a follow-up inspection after a sufficient period of time and to send further reminders if necessary.
With regard to the older post-war premises, the survey staff of the Rating and Valuation Department are reminded constantly to check house numbering, and an average of 10 individual letters per week are sent to owners of buildings found to be unsatisfactorily numbered. In addition, at the beginning of this year, 200,000 pamphlets concerning the need for accurate numbering were sent to ratepayers. On completion of new buildings, the Rating and Valuation Department endeavours to inform owners promptly of the new street numbers. When a building is subsequently inspected, prior to being assessed for rates, a report as to the numbering is obtained. If numbers are
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