XN000022-1974-06-10 — Page 6

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MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1974

COURT TO CONSIDER APPLICATION FOR CLOSURE ORDERS

OF DANGEROUS TAI PO BUILDINGS TOMORROW

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THE LAST OF THE OCCUPANTS OF THE 34 DANGEROUS BUILDINGS IN PAK SHING STREET, TAI PO, ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT TONIGHT AS THE CLOSURE ORDERS FOR THE BUILDINGS WILL BE HEARD IN COURT TOMORROW CTUESDAY) MORNING.

THE 34 SINGLE-STOREY STRUCTURES WERE DECLARED DANGEROUS BY THE BUILDING AUTHORITY IN APRIL FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF SEVERE EROSION IN THE SUPPORTING STILTS.

ALL OCCUPANTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN RESITE IN THE NEARBY BAZAAR AT PO YICK STREET.

A NUMBER OF THE OCCUPANTS HAVE ASKED FOR EXTENSION OF THE CLOSURE ORDER, BUT WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE DANGERS INVOLVED.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICE, TAI PO, SAID THIS AFTERNOON THAT THE OCCUPANTS HAD ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE MORE TIME TO BUILD THEIR NEW STRUCTURES IN THE BAZAAR. BUT HE ADDED THAT THESE PEOPLE HAD BEEN GIVEN AMPLE TIME.

COMMENTING ON THE PETITION BY THE 17 FORMER PERMIT HOLDERS WHO ARE ALSO SEEKING RESITING ARRANGEMENTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN ALL FAIRNESS THESE CLAIMS COULD NOT BE ACCEPTED.

HE SAID THAT IF THE 17 PEOPLE HAD CONTINUED TO OCCUPY THE SITES AT PAK SHING STREET AS THEIR PERMITS HAD ALLOWED, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED THE SAME RELIEF MEASURES AS ALL OTHER OCCUPANTS ARE NOW OFFERED.

HOWEVER, SINCE THEY DID NOT OCCUPY THE SITES COVERED BY THE PERMITS AND HAD GIVEN THEM UP IN RETURN FOR HIGH RENTS, IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO OTHERS IF THEY WERE GIVEN PERMITS AGAIN AT NOMINAL FEES, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

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