SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1976
L
GOVERNMENT OFFERS 'DISTURBANCE ALLOWANCE' TO 39 OWNER-OCCUPIERS OF TAI ON MANSION
****
THE GOVERNMENT IS TO PAY AN EX-GRATIA +DISTURBANCE ALLOWANCE+ TO THE 39 OWNER-OCCUPIERS OF FLATS IN TAI ON MANSION, SHAM SHUI PO, WHICH MUST BE VACATED BY SEPTEMBER 1 TO MAKE WAY FOR ESSENTIAL TUNNELLING WORKS FOR THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY: +SINCE COMMERCIAL AND DOMESTIC TENANTS ARE BEING GIVEN EX-GRATIA COMPENSATION FOR THEIR LOSS OF PREMISES, AND TO PAY THEIR REMOVAL COSTS, OWNER-OCCUPIERS ARE ALSO TO RECEIVE AN EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE FOR DISTURBANCE TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LOSS OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
+ THE DISTURBANCE ALLOWANCE WILL BE CALCULATED AT ABOUT $20 A SQUARE FOOT FOR ACTUAL LIVING ACCOMMODATION, AND AT SLIGHTLY REDUCED RATES FOR KITCHENS, BATHROOMS, BALCONIES AND PASSAGEWAYS.
+ THE INDIVIDUAL AMOUNTS PAYABLE TO THE 39 OWNERS AFFECTED WILL NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL MEASUREMENTS ARE COMPLETED, AND THIS WORK IS BEING DONE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, THEY SHOULD AMOUNT TO A REASONABLE SUM WHICH IT IS HOPED WILL BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT'S OFFER AND WHAT THE OWNERS ARE ASKING FOR.+
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S OFFER TO THE OWNER- OCCUPIERS HAD BEEN INCREASED EARLIER THIS WEEK TO BETWEEN $215 AND $240 PER SQUARE FOOT FOLLOWING THE ADMISSION OF FRESH EVIDENCE SUBMITTED BY THE OWNERS TO SUPPORT THEIR CLAIMS.
+OWNER-OCCUPIERS RETAIN THE RIGHT TO APPEAL TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL CONCERNING THEIR REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENTS, AND THOSE ELIGIBLE RETAIN THE RIGHT TO BE GIVEN GOVERNMENT HOUSING,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN,
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, THE 39 OWNER-OCCUPIERS WOULD HAVE TO AGREE THAT ANY DISTURBANCE ALLOWANCE PAID TO THEM WOULD BE DEDUCTABLE FROM ANY PAYMENTS CONCERNING DISTURBANCE OR REMOVAL EXPENSES WHICH MIGHT BE MADE BY THE LANDS TRIBUNAL.
12.....