WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1974
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+NEVERTHELESS, I AM SURE THAT ALL OF US LONG FOR THE DAY WHEN THE PRODUCTION OF HOUSES WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO ENABLE THE AUTHORITY SYSTEMATICALLY TO SET ABOUT THE HOUSING OF THE INMATES OF SUCH AREAS IN PROPER PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION, AND NOT ONLY WHEN THE SITES ARE REQUIRED FOR DEVELOPMENT.+
THE GOVERNOR THANKED MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR THEIR EFFORT IN BRINGING BETTER HOUSING TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
+THIS IS A TIME FOR SOUND AND IMAGINATIVE PLANNING AND POLICY FORMATION,+ HE SAID, AND THIS HAS MADE HEAVY DEMANDS ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S MEMBERS.+
SIR MURRAY EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE NUMBER OF OLD TENEMENT BUILDINGS WHICH REMAIN UNDEVELOPED AND ARE UNLIKELY TO BE DEVELOPED BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT THE HOUSING SOCIETY HAD BEEN PREPARING DETAILED PROPOSALS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF A NUMBER OF THESE OLD PROPERTIES, AND HAD BEEN ASSURED OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE SOCIETY'S CONTRIBUTION IN THIS SPHERE AND ITS ROLE IN CONTINUING TO PLAN NEW ESTATES IN NEW TOWN AREAS, THE GOVERNOR PAID WARM TRIBUTE TO ALL ITS MEMBERS AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE CHAIRMAN, SIR DOUGLAS CLAGUE.
ON THE ROLE OF PRIVATE DEVELOPERS IN THE FIELD OF HOUSING, SIR MURRAY FELT THEY WERE A VERY IMPORTANT SOURCE OF NEW HOUSING. +WE WISH TO ENCOURAGE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PRIVATE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION, HE STRESSED.
WHILE HE APPRECIATED THE PROBLEMS FACING PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, PARTICULARLY IN FINANCING NEW SCHEMES, HE HOPED VERY MUCH THAT PRIVATE DEVELOPERS WOULD SEE THE ADVANTAGES OF MAKING NEW INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING NOW +WHEN LAND PRICES HAVE FALLEN AND BUILDING CONTRACTORS HAVE MORE CAPACITY.+
SIR MURRAY SAID IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THE CONFIDENCE DISPLAYED BY OVERSEAS INTERESTS IN HONG KONG AT THIS TIME. NEGOTIATIONS, HE REVEALED, WERE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY WITH, A MAJOR OVERSEAS GROUP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LARGE NEW RESIDENTIAL AREA IN SHA TIN TO HOUSE OVER 300,000 PEOPLE ON A 50-ACRE SITE.
+ IT IS THIS SORT OF VISION THAT PAYS OFF, FOR THERE IS ENORMOUS REQUIREMENT FOR HOUSING WHICH CANNOT BE SATISFIED IN FULL FOR MANY YEARS TO COME, IF EVER,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.
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