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I understand the negotiation was between the Senior staff of the Resettlement Department and the representatives. I do not know whether the Chairman of that particular Select Committee has been informed. If he has, I would be delighted if he could give us some information.
MR. HU-I think I am put in a very impossible position. I do not know the details of the negotiations, but I understand that for resettlement shops, because of their shortage, the policy will be changed so that those people who are eligible to have resettlement shops will have $6,000 in cash as compensation, they can also tender for the shop which they like: but this is, of course, open tender, and anybody can tender. They should compete for it. That is the future policy. It is the hardest policy to be implemented. I think, in the first instance, it relies on the Department officials to carry it out. If there is any question, it will be discussed in the Resettlement Committees. If that stage comes, certainly we would look at this question in detail and let Mr. CHAN know.
MR. SALES:-Thank you, Mr. Hu. I think that is a very clear statement of the position as made known to me by the Resettlement Department when, in the course of my Ward Duties this month, this matter was brought to their attention. The statement of the position as stated by Mr. Hu accords with what the Resettlement Department has told me.
(12) MR. JAMES M. H. Wu asked the following question :-
In recent visits to North Kowloon Resettlement Estates, it was found that there were loose electric wirings hanging at a height accessible to children at entrance lobbies. These appeared to be due to tampering and illegal connexions by hawkers in nearby stalls. What can be done or is being done by the Resettlement Department to eliminate this danger to life?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RESETTLEMENT MANAGEMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
First of all, I should thank Mr. Wu for bringing up this question which concerns the loose electric wiring in the North Kowloon Resettlement Estates.
In the later resettlement blocks, wiring is installed by Government, but in the old blocks it was left to the tenants to provide the wiring between the meters and their rooms. Some of this wiring has deteriorated badly, and an extensive rewiring programme is being carried out; work on the first estate dealt with, Hung Hom, was completed in May 1968. Since then, rewiring has also been carried out in Kwun Tong and Jordan Valley estates and work will shortly start in Shek Kip Mei, followed by Tai Hang Tung and Lei Cheng Uk. In the meanwhile, temporary repairs to any wiring that is potentially dangerous are carried out by the estate staff.
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on the first estate dealt with, Hung Hom, was completed in May 1968. Since then, rewiring has also been carried out in Kwun Tong and Jordan Valley estates and work will shortly start in Shek Kip Mei, followed by Tai Hang Tung and Lei Cheng Uk. In the meanwhile, temporary repairs to any wiring that is potentially dangerous are carried out by the estate staff.
MR. WU: Mr. Chairman, I very much regret that I cannot accept the explanation that the wiring has deteriorated by itself badly. I have indicated in my question that the deplorable and dangerous state was due apparently to temporary and illegal connexions by unauthorized people, noticeably by nearby hawkers. It would seem that apart from temporary repairs, more effective supervision is required. Can I be assured that such supervision will be forthcoming? I am sorry to have to ask for a reply from Mr. Hu who is Chairman of the Resettlement Management Select Committee, but not directly connected with the carrying out of the work of the Resettlement Department.
MR. HU-I personally saw those illegal connexions. This question, of course, is a complicated question and we certainly would discuss at the Select Committee level and I think we should discuss this question in the next Management Select Committee meeting. I would certainly ask the Department to include this item in an Agenda and then we could discuss it then.
MR. WU:-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Would Mr. Hu, in the first instance, convey my dissatisfaction on the way the answer has been given. In the meantime, because it takes a long time to get this done, something must happen.
MR. HU-Certainly, I will convey your ideas to the relevant authorities.
(13) MR. JAMES M. H. Wu asked the following question :-
During a visit to Tsz Wan Shan Estate, some shop tenants were found cooking in internal corridors behind their shops. What can be done or is being done by the Resettlement Department to remove this fire hazard and nuisance?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RESETTLEMENT MANAGEMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
It is correct that some shop tenants in Tsz Wan Shan and other estates use corridors behind their shops for cooking and storage. This problem has recently been discussed
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