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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--Mr. Chairman, in my answer I stated that applications will be processed in the normal way. May I invite Mr. Hu's attention to pages 16-20 of the 1968-69 Annual Departmental Report where the whole procedure is described in full.
MR. HU:--I am sorry, you mean about the participation of Resettlement Department?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--No, procedure.
MR. HU:--No, no I didn't ask about procedure, I asked if you had any plan at the moment to allocate accommodation to those displaced. You haven't for the moment?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--When an application comes our way we shall look at the blocks available and allocate according to the need at the time.
MR. BERNACCHI:--I think that what Mr. Hu means is are there any resettlement estates in or near the western district of Hong Kong or will they be allocated to some outlying resettlement estate in the New Territories?
MR. SALES:--Mr. Chairman, is Mr. BERNACCHI out of order? I thought Mr. Hu put his question most colourfully. (Laughter).
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--In answer to Mr. BERNACCHI'S supplementary question, I would state that the only resettlement estate forthcoming with vacancies will be the Hing Wah estate, and I think that I need not remind Mr. BERNACCHI that at a recent meeting of the Select Committee we committed all the accommodation in Hing Wah estate.
MR. BERNACCHI:--That is not quite right, we have allocated or committed all the accommodation in Stage I of Hing Wah. Presumably, when the Renewal Plan is ultimately put into practice, Stage II will be completed?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--Well I am not concerned with the Urban Renewal Scheme as such. I only operate according to applications received, so I would not know at this stage when the actual renewal scheme is to be implemented. So far as I am aware, Phase I is going to be phased out and the number applying for either low-cost housing or resettlement will be limited.
MR. BERNACCHI:--In other words, unless there is an opportunity of resettling them in Hing Wah estate, the only resettlement accommodation available will be in the New Territories?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--Depending on the time individual cases come up, because, as I disclosed earlier on, we have a certain number of blocks coming up in Yau Tong, Sau Mau Ping, Tze Wan Shan, Shek Lei and Castle Peak, and also Hing Wah. More blocks coming along, so it depends entirely on the time we resettle them. The normal procedure is that as the applications come up, we look at the accommodation available and allocate accordingly.
MR. HU:--On an individual basis?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--According to applications received. When Government decides to clear a particular area, then the Public Works Department will give us details of the boundaries. We count the number of people and we work out our vacancy sheet and then allocate accordingly.
MR. SALES:--Mr. Chairman, I must say I am most impressed with all the answers the Commissioner for Resettlement has given. Now, these questions were put by Mr. Henry Hu and Mr. BERNACCHI, one the Chairman of the Resettlement Management and, the other, the Chairman of the Resettlement Policy Select Committee. (Laughter). Shouldn't they have been answering the questions rather than asking them. They are Chairmen of the Select Committees. (Laughter).
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--I had intended to answer the question shortly by saying that Mr. Hu was the Chairman of the Management Committee. However, I try to be helpful to Councillors.
MR. HU:--I am also Ward Member for Western so I am very concerned about those people who are going to be displaced.
MR. SALES:--Mr. Chairman, might I suggest in future that you use your discretion and get our two Chairmen of the two Select Committees to answer questions on resettlement rather than to put them to the Commissioner for Resettlement. (Laughter).
(13) MR. RAYMOND Y. K. KAN asked the following question:
I have received complaints from the public about the position of ticket booth in the Rumsey Street Car Park which necessitates the negotiation of a 90-degree bend, going up a steep ramp and stopping, almost at the same time, for the motorist to collect his parking ticket. This arrangement is not satisfactory and is likely to cause accidents. Can some improvements be made?
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