XN000022-1973-10-17 — Page 67

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Wednesday, October 17, 1973

But the rural areas of the New Territories present a special

problem. In them, in particular, we are faced with the phenomenon of rural

alums.

Their elimination involves complex problems because of the mix of

small factories, pig, poultry and vegetable farms and residential huts

that comprise them. A pilot scheme is now being worked out for the

development of an area near Yuen Long.

Last year I mentioned that there was a requirement for better

What is needed on present assessments

housing in the rural New Territories.

is, additional, decent housing for something like 250,000. Work on the

planning of the necessary rural estates has started, but it will be one

or two years before the first of them is ready for occupation. As an interim

step, attention is being paid to improving the conditions in the rural areas

wherever possible. Examples of those measures are the two new housing estates,

financed mainly by charitable donations from U.S.A. and Canada, and opened

this year at Cheung Chau and Sai Kung; the new small-house policy introduced

at the end of last year; the planned provision of over a thousand items of

small public works over the next three years: and the doubling of cleansing

and sanitation staff over the last three years.

I should add that in reorganising the machinery of Government it

was always accepted that once the new Secretaries were in position, it would

be necessary to adjust the position and status of the District Commissioner

to ensure that the special requirements of the Now Territories were to

receive the consideration they deserved. We expect to make an announcement

about this before Mr. Bray's successor takes over.

Gambling