XN000022-1976-04-27 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 1976

RENT INCREASES REVIEWED

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TENANTS OF 201 SMALL DOMESTIC FLATS IN TWO WAN CHAI BUILDINGS HAVE HAD THEIR RENT INCREASES CUT BACK BY AN INDEPENDENT RENT TRIBUNAL PANEL.

THE FLATS ARE SITUATED IN KAM KWOK BUILDING AND NATIONAL BUILDING, WAN CHAI, WITH MONTHLY RENTS VARYING FROM $230 TD $740.

COMMENTING ON THE TENANTS SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS, THE COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION TODAY SAID THAT THE INCREASES ORIGINALLY CERTIFIED RANGED FROM A FEW DOLLARS UP TO $144 PER MONTH, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INDIVIDUAL TENANCY.

HOWEVER, THE THREE-MAN PANEL, HAVING VIEWED THE PREMISES AND CONSIDERED WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS FROM LANDLORDS AND TENANTS, DECIDED TO REDUCE THE COMMISSIONER'S FIGURES BY AMOUNTS VARYING FROM $1 TO $57 PER MONTH. IN SIX CASES, THE COMMISSIONER'S ORIGINAL FIGURE WAS UPHELD.

THE GROUNDS OF APPEAL PUT FORWARD BY THE TENANTS INCLUDED THE FREQUENCY OF INCREASES DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE POOR STATE OF REPAIR OF THE PREMISES AND INADEQUATE MANAGEMENT.

DETAILS OF THE RENTAL ADJUSTMENTS APPROVED BY THE RENT TRIBUNAL PANEL HAVE BEEN DESPATCHED BY POST TO THE TENANTS.

DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED ****

THE GOVERNOR, AFTER TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HAS DECIDED THAT THE DEATH SENTENCE PASSED ON OCTOBER 22, 1975 ON LAM TAO SHOULD BE COMMUTED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT.

LAM WAS FOUND GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF LEE CHUI YIN.

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