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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1975
+ONE POSSIBILITY WOULD BE TO ALLOCATE LAND AT THE RESERVE PRICE, IN WHICH EVENT WE COULD CONTEMPLATE IMPOSING NO RESTRICTIONS ON SUBSEQUENT RESALE THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS WOULD BE THAT A NEW FLAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE HOUSING STOCK AND AN OLD FLAT HAS BEEN RECOVERED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR RE-ALLOCATION,+ MR. LIGHTBODY ADDED.
ON DR. FANG'S CONTENTION OF A COMMUNICATION GAP BETWEEN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, IN WHICH HE BASED HIS ASSERTION ON THE FACT THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF URBAN COUNCIL WARD CASES AS WELL AS CITY DISTRICT OFFICE AND UMELCO CACES CONCERN HOUSING MATTERS, MR. LIGHTBODY SAID:
+I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS DEMONSTRATES NOT A LACK OF COMMUNICATION ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PART BUT RATHER THE FACT THAT THE GREATEST SINGLE GOOD THAT ANY LOW-INCOME FAMILY CAN HOPE FOR IN HONG KONG IS A PUBLIC HOUSING FLAT, OR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING ACCOMMODATION, PARTICULARLY AT THE VERY MODEST RENTS CHARGED.+
HE ADDED THAT IT WAS NOT SURPRISING THAT UNSUCCESSFUL
APPLICANTS WOULD PURSUE THEIR CLAIM THROUGH ALL AVAILABLE CHANNELS.
MR. LIGHTBODY WENT ON: IN THIS SITUATION IT IS VERY UNFAIR TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, WHICH DOES A MOST DIFFICULT AND THANKLESS JOB WITH MARKED COMPETENCE AND DEDICATION, TO ASSERT THAT COMPLAINTS IMPLY A FAILURE OF SOME SORT ON THEIR PART.+
SPEAKING ON THE PROVISION OF ELECTRICITY' AND MAINS WATER SUPPLY TO SQUATTER AND LICENSED AREAS, THE SECRETARY SAID THAT A WORKING PARTY HAD RECENTLY BEEN SET UP JOINTLY WITH THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY TO STUDY THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS.
+ THE SITUATION REGARDING ELECTRICITY IN LICENSED AREAS IS WELL IN HAND, AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY LAST YEAR SECURED THE PROMISE OF FUNDS FROM GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW A START TO BE MADE ON A PROGRAMME FOR ELECTRIFYING ALL 30 LICENSED AREAS.
+SO FAR, 19 OF THE 30 HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH ELECTRICITY AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE WITH THIS PROGRAMME IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR. ALL NEW LICENSED AREAS ARE AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDED WITH ELECTRICITY, THE SECRETARY EXPLAINED.
+
AS TO MAINS WATER. MR. LIGHTBODY SAID THIS WAS ALREADY PROVIDED IN SQUATTER AND OLDER LICENSED AREAS, ON A PUBLIC STANDPIPE BASIS.
HE ADDED THAT ALL NEW LICENSED AREAS HAVE INDIVIDUAL TAP SUPPLIES AND FOR THE OLDER LICENSED AREAS, THE POLICY IS TO INSTAL INDIVIDUAL TAPS AS AND WHEN AN AREA IS CLEARED FOR RE- ALLOCATION AND SO FAR, SEVEN SUCH AREAS HAVE BEEN MODERNISED IN THIS WAY.
FINALLY, MR. LIGHTBODY GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHORITY'S REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF ITS MARK 1 AND 11 ESTATES, WHICH IS GATHERING MOMENTUM.
/+IN 1974.