WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1979
8
NT LAND SALE PROGRAMME
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THE FIRST OF THE LAND SALES, ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AGO, IN THE BORROW AREA PLATFORMS FORMED AS PART OF THE RACE COURSE DEVELOPMENT AT SHA TIN REPRESENTS THE START OF A PROGRESSIVE PROGRAMME OF SALES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED TODAY BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. WILLIAM BELL, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. D.K. NEWBIGGING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE TEMPORARY RESTRICTION OF BUILDING DEVELOPMENT (MID-LEVELS) BILL 1979 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THIS PROGRAMME, MR. BELL SAID, WAS EXPECTED TO YIELD A FURTHER 3,800 UNITS OF HIGH QUALITY HOUSING IN SHA TIN, TSUEN WAN AND SAI KUNG.
MICROFILMING TO SPEED UP PRODUCTION
OF LAND OFF ICE RECORDS
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MICROFILMING OF ALL LAND OFFICE RECORDS WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 1980 SHOULD HELP TO SPEED UP THE PRODUCTION OF RECORDS, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. 6. BARNES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ANSWERING A QUESTION ABOUT DELAYS IN THE PRODUCTION OF LAND OFFICE RECORDS, MR. BARNES SAID THAT FOLLOWING A VISIT TO THE COMPUTER FACILITIES OF THE LAND CHARGES REGISTRY IN LONDON RECENTLY, THE REGISTRAR GENERAL HAS ASKED FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO BE DONE TO SEE WHETHER COMPUTER ISATION WOULD BE WORTH INTRODUCING IN HONG KONG ALSO.
THE GOVERNMENT, MR. BARNES ADDED, WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE STILL SOME DELAYS IN THE PRODUCTION OF LAND OFFICE RECORDS ESPECIALLY AT THE PEAK TIME OF THE DAY, WHEN THE AVERAGE TIME OF PRODUCTION FOR MEMORIAL RISES FROM 10 TO 20 MINUTES.
THERE WERE ALSO LONGER DELAYS WHEN MORE THAN ONE CUSTOMER WISHED TO SEARCH FOR THE SAME DOCUMENT.
+THE REGISTRY IS PRESENTLY WELL BELOW ITS STAFF ESTABLISHMENT, BUT THE REGISTRAR GENERAL IS DOING ALL HE CAN TO GIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE,+ MR. BARNES ASSURED.
COMPUTER ISATION OF LAND OFFICE RECORDS HAD BEEN EXAMINED IN THE PAST, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN CONSIDERED WORTH THE EXPENSE. THERE WERE OTHER MAJOR DRAWBACKS ALSO.
MR. BARNES SAID THE DEMANDS CON THE LAND OFFICE HAD MADE IT NECESSARY TO THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
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