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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
this work had not been completed by 12th July. Can the Department give an explanation? Have the taps been fixed since that date?
(b) According to information from the Resettlement Department, only one tap is provided for 529 persons. Is this supply according to accepted standards of health and cleanliness? Could additional taps be provided?
(c) What is the cost of installing additional taps in areas where a water supply already exists?
MR. J. P. ASERAPPA, COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT, replied as follows:
Mr. Chairman, a standpipe was installed at section eight of Sam Ka Tsuen Class II Licensed Area on 15th June. On 3rd July the tap was stolen or removed from the standpipe; a new tap was fitted on 13th July but was also removed within a few days. A third tap has now been fitted.
In accordance with policy standpipes are provided at the rate of one to about 500 persons. This particular area is not yet fully occupied and additional standpipes are provided as new licensed move in. The latest position is that the ratio is approximately one standpipe to 507 persons; when the area is fully occupied the ratio will be one to about 390 persons.
Where, as in this case, water mains have been installed, the cost of each additional standpipe is approximately $300.
MRS. ELLIOTT:--Mr. Chairman, I'm sure you'll rule this question out of order but I must ask Mr. ASERAPPA if he would be surprised to know that the squatters deny that these "stolen" taps were ever installed?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Well, I don't know whether you'd rule it out of order, Mr. Chairman, but I am stating it as a fact. That is the information I had from my Department.
CHAIRMAN: I'll take it that there is on the occasion no imputation and I will allow it to remain on the record, Mrs. ELLIOTT.
MRS. ELLIOTT:--Well, I would like some assurance that they really have got these taps.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-They are certainly there now. I visited the area myself last week, and there positively is a tap and it is working.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MRS. ELLIOTT:—I was assured twice before you assured me. Mr. Chairman, I have another question. The reason why I asked the question about the cost is—in view of the low cost of taps, is there any reason why there shouldn't be a tap for every 50 persons? Because you know how people like to have a bath at night, and I don't see how 500 can do so.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:---Mr. Chairman, of course the capital cost of installing a tap is only the first part; it is the cost of the water afterwards—and I think it is a regrettable fact that the more taps and standpipes you have, the more water is usually wasted.
MRS. ELLIOTT:--Mr. Chairman, is there any method of fitting a meter and having a tap for every row of houses?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--That is certainly a possibility which we can examine. It is not the position at the moment. At the moment, this water is provided without extra charge, but we could certainly explore the possibility of providing a metered supply, in which case if the people pay for it there is no reason that I can see why we shouldn't be able to supply more.
MRS. ELLIOTT—Alternatively, Mr. Chairman, could the people be asked if they would be willing to pay a dollar or two extra a month and have as much water as they like?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I should hate to suggest that people should have as much water as they like—we're short of water in the Colony (Laughter) I must plead for restraint in the use of water.
MRS. ELLIOTT:--I thought we had too much water.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: --Oh no.
(8) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
(a) What proportion of the money collected in licence fees from squatters in the Sai Cho Wan Industrial Resite is earmarked for staff costs of Resettlement Department personnel?
(b) What are the duties of these persons employed for this area?
(c) As the electricity companies expect to receive applications for supply from industrial resite licensees with some form of endorsement by the Resettlement Department, does the
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