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FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 1978
HE SAID THAT THE BIG FACTORIES WHICH STOOD TO BENEFIT FURTHER FROM THE NEW COVERED AREA RATE WERE ENGAGED IN SUCH TRADES AS DYEING WORKS, ENAMEL FACTORIES AND CUTLERY MANUFACTURERS.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ARRANGEMENTS FACTORIES OVER 5,000 SQ. FT. RECEIVED A MAXIMUM EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE OF $100,000 ONLY AND EXTRA AREAS WERE NOT COMPENSATED. UNDER THE NEW RATES, ALL AREAS OVER 5,000 SQ. FT. WILL BE COMPENSATED. A FACTORY WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, 10,000 SQ. FT. OF COVERED WORKING AREA RECORDED IN THE 1976 SURVEY WOULD RECEIVE $340,000 INSTEAD OF THE PREVIOUS MAXIMUM OF $100,000.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT CONSIDERING ANY FURTHER BENEFITS SPECIALLY FOR THESE LARGE FACTORIES IN TSUEN WAN,
+THESE FACTORY OWNERS HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO OPERATE FOR SO LONG WITH MINIMUM OVERHEADS ON CROWN LAND OR AGRICULTURAL LAND, HE SAID, AND SEVERAL OF THEM OWN FACTORY BUILDINGS IN AREAS LIKE KWAI CHUNG AND KWUN TONG.+
TO ASSIST SMALLER FACTORIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAD SET ASIDE FOUR SITES IN SOUTHERN KWAI CHUNG TOTALLING ABOUT 80,000 SQUARE FEET SO THAT SUITABLE TRADES COULD BE RELOCATED THERE ON A TEMPORARY BASIS PENDING THE AVAILABILITY OF FLATTED FACTORY ACCOMMODATION. THOSE FACTORIES WHICH WERE NOT ADMISSIBLE TO FLATTED
WINSHINE
FACTORIES WOULD BE PAID EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WERE STILL FINALISING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SMALLER FACTORIES TO SEE HOW MANY OF THEM WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR RELOCATION AND SUBSEQUENT RE-PROVISIONING IN FLATTED FACTORY ACCOMMODATION.
HE SAID ABOUT 32 FACTORIES IN THE AREA WERE ENGAGED IN +RURAL INDUSTRIES+, SUCH AS MANUFACTURING BEAN CURD AND JOSS STICKS. THESE WOULD BE RELOCATED WITHIN THE DISTRICT, HE ADDED.
AT THIS STAGE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THERE APPEARED TO BE ONLY ONE FACTORY PROPRIÉTOR WHO WOULD NOT GET ANY COMPENSATION AND THIS WAS AN UNDERTAKING ESTABLISHED AFTER THE 1976 SQUATTER CONTROL SURVEY.
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