XN000022-1976-09-11 — Page 4

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TAI ON MANSION CLEARANCE

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1976

CLEARANCE OF TAI ON MANSION AT 2-4, TAI PO ROAD WILL TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY (SEPTEMBER 13) AS SCHEDULED, AND THE REMAINING TENANTS OF THE BUILDING HAVE BEEN REMINDED TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT THEY MUST VACATE THEIR PREMISES OVER THE WEEKEND.

THE POST-WAR BUILDING WILL THEN BE DEMOLISHED TO PAVE THE WAY FOR TUNNELLING WORK FOR THE MASS TRANS IT RAILWAY. DEMOLITION WORK WILL START ON TUESDAY.

ON MONDAY MORNING, STAFF OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL MOVE IN. OCCUPANTS REMAINING IN THE BUILDING WILL HAVE TO BE EVICTED AND GOODS AND CHATTLE TRANSPORTED TO A GOVERNMENT GODOWN FOR SAFE KEEPING AND FOR THEM TO BE CLAIMED BACK BY THE OWNERS AT THEIR CONVENIENCE.

ALL TENANTS OF THE BUILDING HAVE BEEN OFFERED COMPENSATION IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

DOMESTIC TENANTS: CASH ASSISTANCE CALCULATED AT $20 PER SQUARE

FT. OF LIVING SPACE AND ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION IN PUBLIC HOUS ING=

OWNER-OCCUPIERS:

COMPENSATION FOR THEIR FLATS AT FULL MARKET VALUE AND ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION IN PUBLIC HOUSING AS WELL AS CASH ASSISTANCE=

COMMERCIAL TENANTS: COMPENSATION FOR LOSSES OF BUSINESS/PROFIT,

VALUE OF FITTINGS STORAGE, TRANSPORT OF STOCKS AND FEES FOR NEW LEASES (IN CASES THEY ARE MOVING ELSEWHERE) AND OTHER EXPENSES.

IN THE CASES OF OWNER-OCCUPIERS AND SHOP OPERATORS, ACCEPTANCE OF COMPENSATION OFFERED BY THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PREJUDICE THEIR APPEAL TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL, IF THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED. THE GOVERNMENT HAS STATED THAT IF THE AMOUNT THE TRIBUNAL AWARDED IS HIGHER THAN THE COMBINED TOTAL OF COMPENSATION, IT WILL MAKE UP THE BALANCE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT ASK FOR ONE CENT FROM THEM, IF THE TRIBŪNAL AWARD IS LOWER. THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET COME FORWARD TO COLLECT THEIR COMPENSATION ARE ADVISED THAT THEY MAY DO SO ANY TIME THEY LIKE SINCE THE MONEY HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

SINCE THE BUILDING REVERTED TO THE GOVERNMENT IN MID-APRIL THIS YEAR, ALL TENANTS, INCLUDING COMMERCIAL TENANTS HAVE NOT HAD TO PAY RENTALS AND RATES.

IN CASH TERMS, THE SEVEN COMMERCIAL TENANTS WILL RECEIVE BETWEEN THEM SOME $219,000 IN COMPENSATION AND SOME $73,000 IN UNPAID RENTS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY, +WE HAVE TRIED TO TREAT ALL THE PEOPLE CONCERNED AS FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE. WE HOPE THAT ALL THE REMAINING TENANTS WILL MOVE OUT OVER THE WEEK-END SO THAT DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING CAN START ON TUESDAY AND TUNNELLING WORK FOR THE MTR COMMENCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALL OCCUPANTS AND LANDLORDS HAVE BEEN GIVEN 16 MONTHS' NOTICE.+

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