XN000022-1975-01-29 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1975.

KOWLOON BAY 'SHOP OPERATORS' SEEK COMPENSATION

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ABOUT 30 PEOPLE CLAIMING TO BE OPERATORS OF RESITE SHOPS CALLED AT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ASKING FOR COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SQUATTER SHOPS WHICH WERE DEMOLISHED IN A CLEARANCE OPERATION AT KOWLOON BAY LAST JUNE.

THEY WERE RECEIVED BY MR., WILLIAM NORMAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (ADMINISTRATION), AND MR. LAN WING-SUN, DEPARTMENTAL SECRETARY.

THE GROUP ARGUED THAT THEY WERE GENUINE SHOP OPERATORS AND SHOULD BE COMPENSATED AS WERE SIX OTHER OPERATORS WHO WERE PAID $8,100 EACH AS AN EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE,

MR. NORMAN TOLD THEM THAT THEIR CASE WOULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSED BY THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TOMORROW (THURSDAY), AND THEREFORE HE COULD NOT GIVE A REPLY TO THEM ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

HE SAID THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION WOULD BE MADE KNOWN TO THEM TOMORROW.

IN JUNE 1974, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT CLEARED ABOUT 500 ILLEGAL DOMESTIC STRUCTURES AND 80-0DD RESITE SHOPS AT KOWLOON BAY. THE RESITE SHOP OPERATORS WERE GIVEN PUBLIC HOUSING AND SIX OF THEM WHO COULD MEET THE CRITERIA SET Y THE GOVERNMENT WERE EACH GRANTED AN EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE OF $8,100.

THE CRITERIA ARE:

(1)

THE RESITE SHOP STRUCTURE OR THE PREVIOUS STRUCTURE MUST HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE AT THE TIME OF THE 1964 GENERAL SQUATTER SURVEY-

(11)

BUSINESS MUST HAVE DEEN CARRIED OUT CONTINUOUSLY SINCE THE 1965 SHOP SURVEY AND

(#)

BUSINESS MUST HAVE BEEN CARRIED ON AT THE TIME OF THE SCREENING SURVEY IN MARCH 1972.

NONE OF THE OTHERS COULD MEET THE CONDITIONS. THEY HAVE SINCE MADE A NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIONS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING AND HAVE TWICE PETITIONED THE GOVERNOR THEIR DEMAND WAS TURNED DOWN EACH TIME.

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