XN000022-1974-08-14 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1974.

WORK TO START THIS MONTH

ON POWER AND WATER SUPPLY FOR LICENSED AREAS

******

WORK ON A PROGRAMME TO SUPPLY ELECTRICITY AND WATER TO LICENSED AREAS WILL START BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. WILLIAM BELL, HOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

DETAILS OF THE FIRST PHASE OF THE ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMME FOR EXISTING AREAS - INVOLVING THE INSTALLATION OF AN OVERHEAD SUPPLY SYSTEM IN SIX LICENSED AREAS ARE NOW BEING FINALISED. OTHER AREAS WILL BE TACKLED THEREAFTER, HE TOLD THE COUNCIL,

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN.

IN THE MEANTIME, MR. BELL URGED RESIDENTS NOT TO TAP ELECTR- ICITY ILLEGALLY. +THIS IS DANGEROUS AND CAN, AND HAS DONE RECENTLY, LEAD TO TRAGIC ́ACCIDENTS, + HE WARNED.

ALL AREAS, HE ADDED, WERE BEING EXAMINED WITH A VIEW TO RE- MOVING PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WIRES.

MR. BELL EXPLAINED THAT 10 YEARS AGO, IT HAD BEEN AGREED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 1964 WHITE PAPER ON POLICIES FOR SQUATTER CONTROL, RESETTLEMENT AND GOVERNMENT LOW COST HOUSING, THAT ONLY MINIMUM ESSENTIAL SERVICES WERE TO BE PROVIDED IN LICENSED AREAS. IN PRACTICE, THIS AMOUNTED TO THE PROVISION OF STREET LIGHTING. NO DOMESTIC ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES WERE PROVIDED, BUT THIS WAS NOT AN UNREASONABLY HARSH ARRANGEMENT IN THOSE DAYS.

+HOWEVER, IN RECENT YEARS, THE DEMAND FOR ELECTRIC POWER FOR LIGHTING, TELEVISION, REFRIGRATORS HAS LED TO THIS BEING INSTALLED

ILLEGALLY IN MOST LICENSED AREAS,+ HE SAID.

+SINCE ITS FORMATION LAST YEAR, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS REVIEWED THE 1964 POLICIES AND RECOMMENDED, IN APRIL THIS YEAR, THAT AN INDIVIDUAL SUPPLY BE PROVIDED TO EACH HOUSEHOLD IN EVERY LICENSED AREA. THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO START THIS PROGRAMME WERE APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THIS COUNCIL LAST MONTH.+

TURNING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. MISS KO SIU-WAH ON WATER SUPPLY TO LICENSED AREAS, MR. BELL SAID THAT ACCORDING TO THE 1964 WHITE PAPER, WATER STANDPIPES WERE PROVIDED IN ALL SUCH AREAS AT A RATIO OF ONE TO EVERY 500 PERSONS, +AND THIS HAS IN THE PAST BEEN FOUND SUFFICIENT FOR THE RESIDENTS' NEEDS.+

+HOWEVER, IT IS APPARENT FROM THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL PIPES INSTALLED IN THESE AREAS THAT MANY RESIDENTS WANT IND IV IDUAL SUPPLIES AND ARE PREPARED TO PAY FOR THEM.

+THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS THEREFORE RECOMMENDED, AND FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS RECENTLY APPROVED THE PROVISION OF FUNDS FOR THE

INSTALLATION OF A FULL RETICULATION SYSTEM PROVIDING AN INDIVIDUAL SUPPLY TO EACH FAMILY.+

- MR. BELL STRESSED THAT THIS WOULD BE PROVIDED IN ALL NEW LICENSED AREAS, AND IN EXISTING AREAS WHERE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS VERE UNSATISFACTORY.

WORK ON THE FIRST SCHEME WILL BE STARTED IN KOWLOON BAY WITHIN THIS MONTH.

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