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FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1984
MORRISON HILL SWIMMING POOL WAS CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE DURING THE MONTH BUT HAS BEEN RE-OPENED TO THE PUBLIC EARLY THIS WEEK.
AL TOGETHER 72 SWIMMERS GOT INTO DIFFICULTIES AND HAD TO BE RESCUED BY LIFEGUARDS IN JUNE. THERE WERE NO DROWNINGS.
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HOI PONG VILLAGERS REHOUSED ******
THE FINAL MOVE OF PEOPLE FROM HOI PONG VILLAGE IN MOUNT DAVIS TOOK PLACE TODAY FOLLOWING A NINE-MONTH OPERATION TO REHOUSE ALL THE FAMILIES INVOLVED.
+TODAY'S CLEARANCE MARKS THE SMOOTH COMPLETION OF THE MOVE FROM THE SQUATTER AREA AND WE ARE VERY PLEASED THAT THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE, A MAJORITY OF THEM FOR MANY YEARS, HAVE BEEN HAPPILY REHOUSED, SAID THE SPOKESMAN OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
+ ALTOGETHER SOME 610 FAMILIES TOTALLING 2 270 PEOPLE HAVE MOVED TO PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES OR TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS; 70 PER CENT OF THOSE INVOLVED CHOSE TO MOVE TO NEW ESTATES IN KOWLOON AND SHA TIN RATHER THAN STAY ON HONG KONG ISLAND, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
THE DECISION TO CLEAR HO! PONG VILLAGE WAS TAKEN LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN TYPHOON ELLEN WASHED SOME HUTS INTO THE SEA AND A FIREMAN DIED IN A BRAVE ATTEMPT TO RESCUE VILLAGERS, THE VILLAGE HAD BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND, WITH ITS HUTS CLINGING TO THE HILLSIDE OF WESTERN DISTRICT, WAS A WELL-KNOWN LANDMARK FOR FERRY AND LAUNCH TRAVELLERS.
+THE LANDS DEPARTMENT CONTRACTOR WILL SHORTLY MOVE IN TO CLEAR UP THE AREA WHICH WILL BE TURNED INTO A GREEN BELT AND POSSIBLY DEVEOPED INTO A PARK IN THE LONGER TERM, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
+THE REHOUSING EXERCISE HAS PROGRESSED WELL SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER AND BY APRIL THE MAJORITY OF FAMILIES HAD ACCEPTED THE REHOUSING OFFERS AND MOVED OUT.
+THE LAST GROUP OF FAMILIES LEFT RECENTLY AND MOVED INTO CHUK YUEN AND SHUN TIN ESTATES.
+FAMILIES HAVE RECEIVED OVER $800 000 IN DOMESTIC REMOVAL ALLOWANCES AND, IN ADDITION, OPERATORS OF 41 SMALL SHOPS AND LARGE WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN GIVEN EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES TOTALLING $2.8 MILLION, THE SPOKESMAN CONCLUDED.
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