CO129-629-8 Social policy 1-12-1949 - 31-12-1951 — Page 131

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Housing.

The Government of Hong Kong have not under taken

housing schemes (except on a limited scale for

expatriate Government servants). their policy has

been to leave housing to private enterprise. We have

in the circumstances no statistics of rehousing and

no details of schemes or plans beyond the very

general long-term aspirations of Professor Abercrombie's

planning report. Hong Kong have estimated the cost

of housing schemes to be carried out in 1948-51

at £9 million, of which £4 million's worth have

already been approved. (Reply to Circular on

capital investment projects.)

Government has encouraged new building as

much as possible, and has offered land at reduced

premia for workers' housing schemes;

this

represented a substantial measure of assistance, since

land is normally sold at public auction and fetches

very high prices.

Government has also laid down and

enforced improved building standards, as a result

of which the newly-built tenements are healthier and

less unpleasant.

Nevertheless, the

Large-scale rehousing depends on planning

policy as it emerges from present consideration of

the Abercrombie Report; and the financial problems

of any major scheme to be carried out by Government

would be very difficult.

Department has now under consideration an approach to

the Governor urging the importance on grounds of

humanity and expediency alike of pushing ahead with

rehousing in spite of the acknowledged difficulties;

and drawing attention to the excellent results

achieved by the Singapore Improvement Trust as a

possible model.

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