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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1979
THE REVISED SCHEME WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. IF IT WAS APPROVED, A FRESH BILL WOULD BE DRAFTED TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE SCHEME WHICH HOPEFULLY WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE THE END OF THE CURRENT SESSION.
*WHEN THE SCHEME IS APPROVED, IT IS INTENDED THAT, SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF THE REVISED FINANCIAL COMMITMENT BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THIS COUNCIL, EX-GRATIA PAYMENTS TO PERSONS WHO ARE ALREADY KNOWN TO BE SUFFERING FROM PNEUMOCONIOSIS CAN BEGIN WITHOUT AWAITING THE FURTHER LEGISLATION PROPOSED, SAID MR. HENDERSON.
ALL BUT 100 MA CHA HANG FAMILIES REHOUSED
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OF THE 1 197 FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR HOMES IN THE MA CHAI HANG FIRE, ALL BUT 100 HAVE MOVED INTO TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. ALAN SCOTT, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE 100, COMPRISING ABOUT 360 PEOPLE, CONTINUE TO OCCUPY EIGHT TEMPORARY SHELTERS, INCLUDING FOUR SCHOOLS, PROVIDED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIRE OF OCTOBER 6.
+STAFF OF THE HOUSING AND HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENTS WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PERSUADE THEM TO VACATE THE TEMPORARY SHELTERS AND ACCEPT THE ARRANGEMENTS OFFERED, SAID MR. SCOTT.
+THESE FAMILIES HAVE SUFFERED GREAT LOSS THROUGH THE FIRE, AND A FIRM YET SYMPATHETIC APPROACH IS NECESSARY.·
MR. SCOTT SAID HE WISHED TO PLACE ON RECORD THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S APPRECIATION OF THE CO-OPERATION AND ASSISTANCE OF THE MANY ORGANISATIONS WHICH PERMIT THE USE OF THE IR PREMISES IN EMERGENCIES.
+IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT OCCASIONALLY, THIS SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION IS MET WITH INGRATITUDE SUCH AS FROM THIS GROUP OF MA CHAI HANG FAMILIES, HE ADDED.
HE HOPED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WOULD AGREE THAT IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT TO ACCEDE TO THE DEMANDS OF THIS MINORITY GROUP THAT THEY BE GIVEN ACCOMMODATION IN OR NEAR KOWLOON.
FIRSTLY, THE FIRE AT LEI YUE MUN A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE MA CHAI HANG FIRE HAD LEFT ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF TEMPORARY HOUSING IN KOWLOON.
SECONDLY, THIS WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE AGREEMENT MADE WITH THE MA CHAI HANG FIRE VICTIMS. AFTER EXTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS WITH THEM. THAT THEY SHOULD MOVE TO TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS AT FANLING OR TAI PO, OR IF THEY PREFER THEIR OWN TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENTS, PENDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW THA FOR THEM AT SHA TIN.
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