XN000022-1976-06-22 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 1976

SHAM TSENG VILLAGERS MOVING INTO NEW HOMES

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FOUR OF THE FAMILIES AFFECTED BY ROAD ENGINEERING WORKS AT SHAM TSENG, NEW TERRITORIES, HAVE MOVED INTO NEWLY COMPLETED VILLAGE-TYPE HOUSES NEARBY, BUILT FOR THEM BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THE ENGINEERING WORKS ARE CONNECTED WITH THE BUILDING OF A VIADUCT - A VITAL PART OF A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY WHICH WILL LINK TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN NEW TOWNS WHEN IT IS COMPLETED TOWARDS THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

THE FOUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE SO FAR MOVED INCLUDE THE VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVE, MR. FU YUEN-HUNG, A RETIRED SENIOR FIREMAN, THEIR HOMES ARE BEING DEMOLISHED SO THAT THE URGENT WORKS IN CONNECTION WITH THE BUILDING OF THE 1,100-FEET LONG VIADUCT WHICH PASSES OVER SHAM TSENG AT A HEIGHT OF 100 FEET, CAN GÓ AHEAD.

THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO REPLACING THE CHI TONG (ANCESTRAL HALL) OF THE FU CLAN, WHICH HAS LIVED IN SHAM TSENG FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS.

A TOTAL OF 60 HOUSES ARE SCHEDULED TO BE BUILT IN TWO PHASES TO REHOUSE THE 300-0DD VILLAGERS WHO LIVE IN SHAM TSENG. EIGHTEEN HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE FIRST PHASE AND THESE ARE BEING ALLOCATED BY BALLOT.

THE SECOND PHASE, COMPRISING THE BALANCE OF 42 HOUSES, DUE TO BEGIN IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS' TIME.

EACH HOUSE HAS THREE STOREYS. IT IS COMPLETELY SELF- CONTAINED AND OCCUPIES AN AREA OF 700 SQUARE FEET. A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THESE HOUSES IS THAT THE GROUND FLOORS CAN BE USED FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES. EACH OF THE NEW HOUSES COSTS $110,000 TO BUILD.

THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. JAMES HAYES, WHO CONDUCTED NEGOTIATIONS OVER LONG PERIODS WITH THE VILLAGERS, EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION FOR THE +FULL CO-OPERATION+ THEY HAD GIVEN.

ADDED.

*THEIR HELPFUL ATTITUDE HAS BEEN MOST PRAISEWORTHY,+ HE

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