XN000022-1972-11-02 — Page 2

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Thursday, November 2, 1972

To enable the private sector to contribute to the solution of the

housing problem, Mr. Lee called on the government to speed up the development

and sale of land in these areas.

He suggested that land for private development should in future be

sold even before it was fully formed and certainly well before the date when

the basic services were provided. This would be on the understanding that

these services were to be provided within a certain period of time.

"If the title to the land is sold in advance then developers could

proceed with their plans and get to the stage when the architects have done

their work and the Buildings Ordinance Office has given its approval. They

may even begin to proceed with some of the foundation work.

"If this service of work could be expedited, the entire process of

development may be telescoped by as much as 12 to 18 months," Mr. Lee said.

Mr. Lee described the White Paper on Social Welfare as "an important

milestone" and he firmly believed the proposals would be implemented in the

near future.

"I am in complete agreement with the principles laid down by it in

the direction of promoting social welfare," he said.

Regarding the proposal that public assistance be given to orphans,

widowed, disabled and aged without a means test, Mr. Lee said that such a

scheme may not cost more than one based on a means test.

The majority