XN000022-1976-06-10 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1710

ADVANCE PAYMENTS OF COMPENSATION TO

OCCUPANTS OF POST-WAR BUILDINGS AFFECTED BY CLEARANCES ***** .

THE GOVERNMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT 50 PER CENT CASH COMPENSA- TION WOULD BE PAID IN ADVANCE TO OCCUPANTS OF POST-WAR BUILDINGS WHICH ARE TO BE CLEARED FROM SITES REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES EITHER BY AGREEMENT OR UNDER THE CROWN LANDS RESUMPTION ORDINANCE AND THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE,

+PAYMENT IN ADVANCE OF HALF THE DUE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION WILL BE MUCH FASTER THAN IF THE OCCUPANTS WENT TO. THE LANDS TRIBUNAL, AND WILL ENABLE THEM TO SOLVE THEIR REMOVAL PROBLEMS,+ SAID A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT COMPENSATION FOR OCCUPANTS OF POST-WAR BUILDINGS WOULD APPLY ONLY TO PEOPLE IN BUILDINGS RECOGNISED UNDER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE, AND NOT TO OCCUPANTS OF TEMPORARY STRUCTURES OR ROOF-TOP STRUCTURES FOR WHOM THERE ARE SEPARATE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ASSISTANCE.

THE NEW MEASURE GOES INTO FORCE IMMEDIATELY. THE MAIN EFFECT IS TO EXTEND TO DOMESTIC, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL TENANTS OF POST-WAR BUILDINGS CASH COMPENSATION SIMILAR TO THAT NORMALLY

· GIVEN TO TENANTS OF PRE-WAR BUILDINGS.

AS A RESULT, ALL OCCUPANTS OF URBAN BUILDINGS AFFECTED BY GOVERNMENT AND MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CLEARANCES WILL BE COMPENSATED ON AN EX-GRATIA BASIS.

IN ADDITION, DOMESTIC TENANTS AMONG THE OCCUPANTS WILL BE OFFERED RE-HOUSING IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER HOUSING AUTHORITY RULES.

THE AMOUNT OF CASH ASSISTANCE WILL DEPEND ON THE SIZE OF THE PREMISES, AND TOTAL PAYMENTS THIS YEAR ARE EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT $4 MILLION.

OCCUPANTS WHO AGREE TO MOVE WILL BE PAID 50 PER CENT OF THE COMPENSATION WHEN THEY SIGN AGREEMENTS TO LEAVE, AND THE BALANCE AFTER THEY VACATE THE PREMISES.

IF THEY FEEL THEY SHOULD RECEIVE MORE COMPENSATION THAN THE AMOUNT OFFERED BY THE GOVERNMENT THEY MAY TAKE THEIR CLAIMS TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL, BUT THEY MUST NEVERTHELESS VACATE THE PREMISES AS REQUIRED. IF THE AMOUNT AWARDED BY THE LANDS TRIBUNAL IS GREATER THAN THE GOVERNMENT'S OFFER, THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE UP THE BALANCE.

THE SCHEME ANNOUNCED TODAY WILL ALSO APPLY TO OWNER-OCCUPANTS OF POST-WAR BUILDINGS.

THE IMMEDIATE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SCHEME WILL BE THE TENANTS

· AND OWNER-OCCUPANTS OF POST-WAR BUILDINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN RESUMED BUT WHERE COMPENSATION REMAINS OUTSTANDING, AND OF PROPERTIES WHICH WILL BE RESUMED IN CONNECTION WITH MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY WORKS, AND VARIOUS GOVERNMENT PROJECTS SUCH AS THE CANAL ROAD MARKET. THE VEHICULAR ACCESS RAMP FROM PRINCE EDWARD ROAD TO THE KAI TAK AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING, AND PROPERTIES AFFECTED BY THE URBAN RENEWAL SCHEME.

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