CO129-595-6 Building Reconstruction Advisory Committee Report 9-4-1946 - 10-6-1947 — Page 15

Enclosure 1.

15

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT'S HOUSING POLICY.

1.

Government has considered in detail the the recommendations put forward by the Building Reconstruction Advisory Committee which was appointed by the Commander-in-Chief during the Military Administration and has already put a number of the proposed measures into effect. The final recommendation of the Committee has been implemented by the appointment of Mr. S.E. Faber, B.Sc.,

A statement of Government's M.I.C.E., as Director of Building Rehabilitation.

policy in regard to each specific recommendation is given below for general information.

2. The Government has noted the Committee's recommendation that adequate building materials be purchased and imported by Government and while it agrees with the view that the importation of such materials of all descriptions is of paramount importance, it has reached the conclusion, after consideration of all the factors, that it should not usurp the normal functions of commercial importers and thereby delay their recovery. It is not Government's policy to requisition building materials imported into the Colony for private account. Should opportunities, denied to private firms, arise for bulk purchases of certain materials, Government would be prepared to co-operate by arranging export permits and shipping priorities. At the time when the Committee made its report, the transport situation was also causing concern but it has now improved so far as load carrying vehicles are concerned, and can be considered as almost satisfactory.

3. The Committee's second recommendation was that no time should be lost in acquiring as much as possible of the surplus stocks of the Australian and U.S. Forces in the Pacific and that the necessary financial facilities should be afforded. So far as American surplus war stocks are concerned, the Government's efforts have not met with success owing to the fact that building materials have,

The Administration has for the most part, been earmarked for American use. already sent a mission to survey the possibilities of acquiring building materials from Australian war surpluses and has ascertained that no appreciable quantities of building materials are available.

4.

The proposal that all building materials imported into the Colony should be registered in a Government pool has been considered, but it is considered preferable to arrange to co-ordinate all orders through the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, The Director of Building Rehabilitation is at present in

The services of communication with the Chamber of Commerce on this subject. local firms will be enlisted for the importation, storage and distribution of materials. While it is not considered that any new machinery for handling Government stores is necessary, steps will be taken to re-inforce the personnel of the Government Stores Department. Local production is being encouraged wher -ver possible and window fittings, steel windows and furniture are already beir made locally.

5. As regards the Committee's recommendation that Government should assist property owners by allocating materials from a Government pool and by sub- sidizing the cost of repairs to a price level closer to that existing when rent restrictive legislation was introduced, it is considered better in all the circumstances to make use of the normal commercial channels wherever possible. If, however, the repair of private property is held up by lack of materials held by Government, these materials will continue to be released for private use. Government considers that the only sound solution to the present prive levels lies in increased supplies; all its energies are therefore being devoted to increasing the flow of supplies.

6. The Committee suggested that Goverment should lease selected blocks of property such as apartment buildings, terraces of houses and tenements,

There the owner is not repair where necessary and let to approved tenants. in a position to repair damaged property, Government is prepared, in certain selected instances, to lease and repair or to resume for a public purpose. 70 Government, in accepting the Committee's recomendation that it should investigate the desirability of developing new areas for building adequate accommodation for its own employees, will give prior consideration to the

building