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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1978
PLANS TO IMPROVE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS AT OLDER PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES
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THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS, WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE POWER COMPANIES CONCERNED, COMMISSIONED WORK TO UPGRADE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS IN TWO OLDER ESTATES, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. ALAN SCOTT, SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. WONG LAM.
IF THESE SCHEMES PROVE SATISFACTORY, SIMILAR IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE EXTENDED TO OTHER ESTATES IF DEMAND WARRANTS IT, MR. SCOTT ADDED.
HE SAID ELECTRIC CAPACITY IN NEW ESTATES WAS DESIGNED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT ONE IN THREE TENANTS WOULD AT SOME STAGE WISH TO INSTALL ONE AIR-CONDITIONER OF ABOUT 1 H.P.
+ IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO INCREASE THIS CAPACITY LATER ON, IF DEMAND SO REQUIRED,+ HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT THE LEVEL OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF AIR-CONDITIONERS HAD BEEN BELOW SIX PER CENT OF HOUSEHOLDS IN ESTATES, WITH ONE NOTABLE EXCEPTION.
+THE AUTHORITY, HE SAID, +WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON APPLICATIONS IN ORDER TO ASSESS FUTURE DEMAND AND MEASURES NEEDED.+
GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON STREET LIGHTING
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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. WILLIAM BELL TODAY OUTLINED THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON THE PROVISION OF STREET LIGHTING.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID: +WHILE THE GOVERNMENT ENDEAVOURS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING FOR OLD AND ESTABLISHED VILLAGES, THIS POLICY DOES NOT COVER SQUATTER AREAS BECAUSE OF THEIR TEMPORARY NATURE AND A HISTORY OF ILLEGAL TAMPERING WITH ELECTRICITY IN SUCH AREAS.+
REFERRING TO HOI PONG VILLAGE AT THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF VICTORIA ROAD IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT, MR. BELL SAID: THE GOVERNMENT IS AWARE THAT THERE IS NO STREET LIGHTING IN THE VILLAGE ITSELF ALTHOUGH VICTORIA ROAD IS FULLY LIT, AS IS A 400 METRE LENGTH OF AN 'OCCUPATION ROAD' WHICH RUNS ROUGHLY PARALLEL WITH VICTORIA ROAD ON THE SEAWARD SIDE.+
HE POINTED OUT THAT HOT PONG WAS NOT AN ESTABLISHED VILLAGE, BUT RATHER A SQUATTER AREA COMPRISING SOME 750 HUTS IN FIVE GROUPS SPREAD OVER A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 800 METRES BETWEEN WESTERN BUS TERMINUS AND MOUNT DAVIS ROAD.