8
+HEAD 71: ONE MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF $65 MILLION REQUIRED
FOR DOUBLE TRACKING THE RAILWAY FROM TAIPO MARKET TO LO WU.
TEN MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THE $373 MILLION REQUIRED FOR HONG KONG ISLAND'S EASTERN CORRIDOR.
NOTHING TOWARDS THE COMMITTMENT OF $22 MILLION
FOR THE ROAD THROUGH ABERDEEN A MOST USEFUL IF SMALL, INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
NOTHING FOR THE PRINCESS MARGARET ROAD FLYOVER, A TOKEN OF $100,000-OUT OF $28 MILLION FOR A DUAL CARRIAGEWAY FROM YUEN LONG TO AU TAU CROSSROADS. FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF $493 MILLION, RATHER LESS THAN ONE PER CENT FOR THE TRUNK ROAD FROM SHA TIN TO TAIPO.
NOTHING FOR TAIPO TO LAM KAM ROAD. $6.3 MILLION OUT OF $101 MILLION REQUIRED FOR CONTROLLED REFUSE TIPPING AT JUNK BAY,
+HEAD 169: NOTHING PROVIDED FOR OUTSTANDING COMMITTMENTS IN IN THE NEW TERRITOR IES AMOUNTING TO $194 MILLION FOR COMPENSATION, FOR SURRENDERS AND RESUMPTIONS.
+THE DISMAL LIST CAN BE MULTIPLIED, MR. CHEUNG SAID.
HE SAID HE FOUND IT VERY HARD TO ACCEPT THE PROTESTATIONS OF CONCERN OVER INFLATION WHEN SAVAGE CUTS WERE MADE TO PROJECTS +WHICH LEAD DIRECTLY TO THE PRODUCTION OF LAND AND THE TOTALLY INADEQUATE MEASURES TAKEN TOWARDS THE REDUCTION OF THE GROSSEST INFLATOR OF THEM ALL -THE HIGH COST OF LAND WHICH IS ALSO THE MOST SERIOUS MENACE TO OUR COMPETIVENESS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
+ IT IS SAID, WE MUST TAKE THE HEAT OUT OF DEMAND BY CUTTING BACK CAPITAL EXPENDITURE. MOST OF THE PRIVATE BUILDING SECTOR WOULD, OF COURSE, WELCOME IT: LESS COMPETITION FROM GOVERNMENT WOULD MEAN LOWER TENDER PRICES, + MR. CHEUNG SAID.
MR. CHEUNG THEN REFERRED TO AN ADDRESS MADE LAST AUTUMN BY THE GOVERNOR IN WHICH SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID:
+ IT IS APPARENT THAT SHORTAGE OF LAND, AND PARTICULARLY
SHORTAGE OF LAND FOR INDUSTRY AND TO SOME EXTENT FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT COULD DETER INVESTMENT AND STIFLE ECONOMIC GROWTH, CONSEQUENTLY PRODUCTION OF LAND IS ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S HIGHEST PRIORITIES.+
MR. CHEUNG RECALLED THAT THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAID:
+THE SPREADING OUT OF THE CITY AND ITS POPULATION INTO NEW
AREAS WITH ACCESS TO NEW LAND IS ESSENTIAL IF IT IS TO ACHIEVE NOT ONLY BETTER LIVING STANDARDS BUT NEW INVESTMENT, NEW INDUSTRIES AND NEW ECONOMIC FLEXIBILITY. BUT OF COURSE THE ROADS. THE RAILWAYS AND THE TUNNELS ARE ONLY THE START- ONE MUST ADD TO THEM EVERYTHING FROM DRAINS TO SWIMMING COMPLEXES, WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE PLANTS.
RECALLING THAT NO OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER FAILED TO SUPPORT THE MOTION OF THANKS TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS ADDRESS, MR. CHEUNG SAID:
+ IT WOULD BE INCONSISTENT, IN MY VIEW, HAVING ENDORSED THOSE POLICIES THEN, TO SUPPORT A BUDGET WHICH PLACES THOSE POLICIES IN GRAVE JEOPARDY, AND INDEED STRANGLES THEM, IN TWO YEARS WITH HUGE SURPLUSES AND I FOR ONE SIR, HAVE NO INTENTION OF BEING INCONSISTENT.+