XN000022-1974-10-16 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1974

BRIGHTER HOUSING PROSPECTS OVER NEXT FIVE YEARS GOVERNMENT TO PRESS AHEAD WITH BUILDING PROGRAMME

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THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO PRESS AHEAD STEADILY WITH THE TASK IN PROVIDING SELF-CONTAINED HOMES IN A DECENT ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL IN HONG KONG FOR AS LONG AS IS NECESSARY UNTIL THIS SOCIAL PROBLEM IS SOLVED, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE. SAID TODAY.

ADDRESSING THE OPENING SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR MURRAY INDICATED THAT THE HOUSING PROBLEM WHICH HE LABELLED A +DEFECT IN OUR SOCIETY+ - COULD ONLY BE SOLVED BY +STEADY PLANNED AND PERSISTENT CONSTRUCTION OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.t

+THIS YOUR GOVERNMENT AND THE NEW HOUSING AUTHORITY ARE NOW GEARED TO MAINTAIN,+ HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY WAS OPTIMISTIC OVER THE PROSPECT OF PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENT IN THE HOUSING SITUATION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

WHILE HE RECOGNISED THAT MANY FACTORS SUCH AS THE RATE AND TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL AS THE RATE OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURAL GROWTH OF THE POPULATION WOULD DETERMINE WHEN THE HOUSING PROGRAMME COULD BE ACHIEVED, HE WAS CONVINCED THAT BY 1984 THE HOUSING SITUATION +WILL HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED.+

SIR MURRAY NOTED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN RECENT MONTHS IN UP-DATING ITS BUILDING PROGRAMME IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH THE NEW TOWNS PROJECT MANAGERS.

+CONTRACTS NOW LET THROUGHOUT HONG KONG WILL PROVIDE HOUSING FOR UP TO 100,000 MORE PEOPLE IN 1975/76 AND 140,000 IN 1976/77,+ HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR WELCOMED THE VAR JOUS IMPROVEMENTS WHICH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS MAKING IN ITS ESTATES. HE SINGLED OUT THE NEW 01 MAN ESTATE WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A FINE EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE ECONOMICALLY TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HOUSING STANDARDS AND OF THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME.+

HE BELIEVED THAT THE LAYOUT OF THE AUTHORITY'S ESTATES BEING BUILT IN THE NEW TOWNS SHOULD BE ATTRACTIVE AND PLEASANT PLACES TO LIVE IN.

SIR MURRAY REGRETTED THAT THE NEED FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING WAS STILL PRESENT BUT HE ASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT PROGRAMMES WERE GOING AHEAD FOR BUILDING NEW LICENSED AREAS, BUT TO MUCH HIGHER STANDARDS THAN BEFORE AND THAT FUNDS HAD BEEN PROVIDED RECENTLY TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN THE OLDER LICENSED AREAS BY INSTALLING ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES.

/+NEVERTHELESS, ......