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"Over 6,000 shop premises have a monthly rent of $100
or less and the rent increase for over 92 per cent of the 11,000-odd
shop premises is only between $9.50 and $31.50 a month, or an
increase of 306 to $1 a day," he said.
The spokesman went on: "Most of the Group B shop premieses
were let on month-to-month terms at very low rents many years ago
to former squatters whose illegal temporary structures were
demolished to make way for development to help them to continue
to make a living.
"There is no justification for asking the tax-payers to
continue indefinitely the substantial subsidy that is now necessary,
and it is essential that the tenants themselves should now make a
greater contribution towards the running posts of these estates where
they are in such a privileged position."
The following is the full text of the Housing Department notice:
"There have been reports that a few persons on some estates
have been trying to collect rents from shop tenants, with the alleged purpose of paying them to the Housing Department on tenants' behalf,
"For the benefit of estate shop tenants, the Department
wishes to explain the correct procedures for paying rents in order to
prevent tenants from being misled in this matter.
"As you know, the rent for your shop will be slightly increase as from April 1, 1976, and you have been notified, by a formal notice
dated February 18, 1976, of the amount payable.
"You are