XN000022-1976-08-31 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1976

BURIAL GRANTS FOR FAMILIES OF THOSE

KILLED IN RECENT LANDSLIDES *******

FAMILIES OF 14 PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THE LANDSLIDES LAST WEEK WILL BE PAID A TOTAL OF $15,400 AS BURIAL GRANTS BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TOMORROW.

OF THESE, 13 ARE VICTIMS OF THE SAU MAU PING MUDSLIDE.

FAMILY MEMBERS OF A VICTIM OF THE CHA KWO LING LANDSLIDE

HAD ALREADY BEEN PAID $1,100 LAST SATURDAY,

ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE RANGING FROM $120 TO $3,600 WILL ALSO BE PAID TOMORROW TO FIVE PERSONS WHO WERE INJURED IN THE LANDSLIDE.

+FINANCIAL GRANTS TO OTHER CASES ARE CURRENTLY BEING PROCESSED AND PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED.

LAST WEEK, THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT TENANTS OF BLOCKS NINE AND 15 OF THE SAU MAU PING ESTATE AND OTHER VICTIMS WHOSE HOMES WERE AFFECTED BY THE MUDSLIDE BROUGHT ON BY THE HEAVY RAINS ARE TO BE GIVEN GRANTS FROM THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (ERF) BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO RE-ESTABLISH THEMSELVĖS.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT SAID GRANTS WOULD BE $1,500 PER HOUSEHOLD FOR REDECORATION PURPOSES AND $200 PER PERSON FOR REMOVAL AND RE-EQUIPMENT. FOR AN AVERAGE FAMILY OF FIVE, THE TOTAL GRANTS WOULD AMOUNT TO $2,500.

IN ADDITION, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WILL BE GIVEN TO THE VICTIMS' RELATIVES. PAYMENTS WILL RANGE FROM $4,700 TO $14,300 DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE VICTIM WAS THE SOLE WAGE EARNER.

FURTHERMORE, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS NOW LOOKING INTO THE QUESTION OF PROVIDING EX-GRATIA ASSISTANCE FROM THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND OR OTHER SOURCES TO SHOPKEEPERS AND MODULAR STALL HOLDERS FOR LOSS OF STOCK.