WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1979
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MR. DAVIES SAID THE AUXILIARY POLICE ALSO DEPLOYED NEARLY 900 MEN DAILY IN THE URBAN AREAS, THUS RELEASING REGULAR POLICEMEN FOR OTHER DUTIES,
HE ASSURED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THE DEPLOYMENT OF EXISTING RESOURCES HAD ALREADY BEEN GREATLY INCREASED AND THAT ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF MANPOWER AND EQUIPMENT WERE CURRENTLY UNDER +VERY ACTIVE+ CONSIDERATION.
+DEPLOYMENT ARE KEPT UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW BY OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS AND ARE ALTERED TO MEET CHANGES IN THE SITUATION. IN ADDITION THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES AND THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE ARE KEEPING VERY CLOSE WATCH ON FORCE LEVELS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN THE OPERATIONS AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, MR. DAVIES SAID.
CONTROL OF SPECULATION IN LAND AND PROPERTY NEEDED
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UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, REV. THE HON. PATRICK MCGOVERN MAINTAINED HIS VIEW THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH THING IN HONG KONG AS A FAIR MARKET RENT+ AND VOTED AGAINST THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1979 WHEN IT WAS PASSED AT THE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
FR. MCGOVERN SAID THERE WAS NEED FOR MORE RENT CONTROL, NOT LESS, AS PROPOSED IN THE BILL, AND NEED FOR CONTROL OF SPECULATION IN LAND AND PROPERTY.
HE THOUGHT THE SCARCITY OF LAND WAS NOT AN ARGUMENT TO JUSTIFY A HIGH PRICE. TO HIM, IT JUSTIFIED CONTROL OF THAT HIGH PRICE, WHICH HAD BECOME THE BASE OF THE INFLATIONARY SPIRAL.
+A BETTER SYSTEM THAN AUCTIONING TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER COULD BE DEVISED WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH A COMMODITY WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO LIFE AND THE SUPPLY OF WHICH DOES NOT EQUAL THE DEMAND, HE SAID.
HE FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT IN THE WHOLE CHAIN OF OPERATIONS FROM LEASING LAND, TO BUILDING, TO SELLING OR RENTING A FLAT, THERE WAS TOO MUCH ROOM FOR SPECULATION AND PROFITEERING, THE END RESULT OF WHICH WAS THAT RENTS FOR PRIVATE PREMISES WERE TOO HIGH.
HE SAID IT WAS TRUE THAT THE PRODUCTION OF LAND WAS BEING DOUBLED IN TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS AND MORE HOUSING WAS BEING RAPIDLY PRODUCED IN THE NEW TOWNS, BUT HE DOUBTED THAT SUPPLY WOULD CATCH UP ON DEMAND, BY WHICH THE DECONTROL OF RENT WAS JUSTIFIED.
HE HAD FURTHER REASON TO DOUBT THIS, IN VIEW OF THE MASSIVE INFLOW OF BOTH LEGAL' AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, COMING IN SEVERAL ESTATES FULL ANNUALLY+, WHICH WAS BEYOND OUR CONTROL AND WAS LIKELY TO CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME,
/HE COLLMENTED
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