XN000022-1976-04-14 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1976

MORE LAND OFFERED TO TANNERS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS OFFERED ADDITIONAL LAND AT KWAI CHUNG TO THE OPERATORS OF 55 TANNERIES AT SHEUNG SHUI DUE TO BE CLEARED BY JULY 31 THIS YEAR.

THE LAND, IN THE OFFENSIVE TRADES AREA, TOTALS 104,500 SQ. FT. THE OPERATORS ARE ALREADY PURCHASING APPROXIMATELY 75,000 SQ. FT. OF LAND IN KWA CHUNG WHERE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR OPERATIONS FOLLOWING CLEARANCE.

THE TANNERS HAVE ORGANISED THEMSELVES INTO FIVE CONSORTIA FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE MOVE TO KWAI CHUNG AND EACH CONSORTIUM HAS BEEN OFFERED AN AREA OF LAND ADJOINING THEIR EXISTING LOT. THE LARGEST AREA - 39,900 SQ. FT. - HAS BEEN OFFERED TO CONSORTIUM NO. 1- CONSORTIA NOS. 2 AND 3 HAVE EACH BEEN OFFERED 15,500 SQ. FT. AND CONSORTIUM NO. 4 HAS BEEN OFFERED 18,000 SQ. FT. CONSORTIUM NO. 5, WHICH CONTAINS A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL OPERATORS, HAS BEEN OFFERED 16,500 SQ. FT.

THE OFFER HAS BEEN MADE IN A LETTER TO EACH CONSORTIUM SENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. JOHN CHAMBERS.

THE TANNERS' REQUEST FOR EXTRA LAND WAS MADE DURING RECENT DISCUSSIONS THEY HAD WITH MR. CHAMBERS AND THE DISTRICT OFFICER TAI PO, MR. CLIVE OXLEY,

IN HIS LETTER, MR. CHAMBERS POINTS OUT THAT THE LAND WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH SURRENDER OF LAND EXCHANGE ENTITLEMENTS BY THE TANNERS. THEY WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO PAY PREMIUM BY INSTALMENTS OVER TEN YEARS.

+ IF YOU WISH TO PROCEED ON THIS BASIS, THE LETTER STATES, +1 SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD FORWARD" WITHIN TWO CALENDAR MONTHS A SCHEDULE OF LAND ENTITLEMENTS IN YOUR POSSESSION SO THAT PREMIUN CAN. BE ASSESED AND THE CONDITIONS OF GRANT FORMULATED.+

ALL THE LAND WILL BE RESTRICTED TO TANNING OR OTHER OFFENSIVE TRADES AND BUILDINGS WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS.

THE LETTER ALSO POINTS OUT THAT STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE TREATMENT OF TRADE EFFLUENT WILL BE REQUIRED, ADDING: YOU WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE PERMITTED TO OPERATE AT KWAI CHUNG IN THE SAME MANNER AS AT SHEUNG SHUI.+

THE LETTER REMINDS THE TANNERS THAT THE FINAL DEADLINE FOR THEIR REMOVAL REMAINS JULY 31 AND THAT NO EXTENSION OF THIS DEADLINE WILL BE CONSIDERED. IT IS THEREFORE IN YOUR INTERESTS TO ADVISE ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHETHER YOU WISH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OFFER OF ADDITIONAL LAND, IT CONCLUDES.

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