6
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1976
FACTORIES IN NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS: GOV'T TO ACT
******
THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT WITH THE PRESENT SURPLUS OF FLATTED FACTORY ACCOMMODATION, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE A START ON A STAGED PROGRAMME OF ACTION AGAINST CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS IN NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976, HE SAID THAT IN THE PAST, THE ECONOMIC FACTS OF LIFE IN HONG KONG HAD DICTATED ACCEPTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY IN NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS ON A WIDE SCALE.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, +MANY FAMILIES ARE NOW UNWILLING TO PUT UP WITH THIS KIND OF DISCOMFORT AND AT THE PRESENT TIME THIS IS QUITE RIGHT BECAUSE REASONABLY CHEAP FLATTED FACTORY ACCOMMODATION IS NOW IN MORE PLENTIFUL SUPPLY THAN REASONABLY PRICED RESIDENTIAL FLATS.+
REFERRING TO THE ACTION PROGRAMME HE SAID THE FIRST STAGE WOULD INVOLVE AN ATTACK ON THREE FRONTS BY LAW AND LEASE ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE URBAN AREAS AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. +THE FIRST ACTION TO BE TAKEN WILL BE TO REMOVE DANGEROUS AND OBNOXIOUS INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS FROM EXISTING NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS. IN THIS RESPECT, THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR ESTIMATE THAT BETWEEN 200 AND 350 EXISTING DANGEROUS OR OBNOXIOUS INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS WILL BE AFFECTED,+ MR. ROBSON SAID.
+NEVERTHELESS, UNLESS THE RISK TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY IS INTOLERABLE, REASONABLE NOTICE WILL BE GIVEN TO OPERATORS TO ENABLE THEM TO MOVE THEIR UNDERTAKINGS TO MORE SUITABLE PREMISES.+
AT THE SAME TIME, HE CONTINUED, ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN TO PREVENT NEW INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS, EXCEPT SPECIFIC SERVICE TRADES, GAINING A FOOTHOLD IN NEW NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS,
WHENEVER POSSIBLE DURING THE FIRST STAGE OF PROGRAMME, ACTION WOULD ALSO BE TAKEN TO CLEAR INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS FROM PURELY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
MR. ROBSON SAID: +IF HOWEVER, INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS IN EXISTING NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS ARE NEITHER DANGEROUS NOR OBNOXIOUS, THEY WILL NOT BE TARGET FOR ACTION DURING THE FIRST STAGE. FUTURE ACTION AGAINST THEM WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER THERE ARE REASONABLE MEANS BY WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL UNDERTAKING CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE.+
/HE SAID
+