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Thursday, November 29, 1973
On slum clearance in rural areas, he proposed, in addition to
examining what could be done about clearing up some of the mess, to
examine the present policies to see whether they were realistic for the
vast areas of land in private ownership outside planned areas of government
development.
Referring to a suggestion from the Hon. Li Fook-wo to turn Hei
Ling Chau into a recreational area, he said the decision to resite the
explosives depot on the island was taken after a careful examination of
the amount of land which would be sterilised by the depot, the competing use for land at various locations and the physical requirements for siting a depot.
However, Mr. Akers-Jones said he had asked the departments concerned
to consider once again if it was essential to make use of the island for
this purpose and, if no alternative site could be found, to ensure that
everything was done to minimise the effect on the rest of the island,
He pointed out that any undue delay in moving the depot from Green Island was unacceptable because of public safety, and also because additional explosives storage was urgently required for public works and the underground
railway.
Mr. Akers-Jones went on to say that the increasing tempo of change and development would give rise to many more difficult decisions and matters
of judgement involving the New Territories.
"This will mean sacrifice, some places of beauty will disappear, others will be brought for the first time within easy reach of the people.
"It is a process in which the great issues affecting the happiness
and well-being of the people of Hong Kong as a whole must not be lost to sight and be obscured by sectional interests; we must keep our eyes on the main objectives," he added.
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