XN000022-1976-09-22 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1976

REVISED OFFERS FOR 15 DOMESTIC FLAT OWNERS OF TAI ON MANSION ******

THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE REVISED OFFERS TO 15 OF THE 23 FORMER DOMESTIC FLAT OWNERS OF TAI ON MANSION WHO HAD, AT THE DATE OF RESUMPTION, LET THEIR PREMISES TO TENANTS.

THE RANGE OF INCREASE OF THESE OFFERS IS BETWEEN $1, 000 AND $11,000. IN MOST CASES, THE INCREASE IS AROUND $7,000.

MR. C.M. MO, CHIEF ESTATE SURVEYOR OF MASS TRANSIT DEPARTMENT, P.W.D., SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THESE REVISED OFFERS WERE MADE AS A RESULT OF FRESH EVIDENCE OBTAINED FROM LATEST TRANSACTIONS WHICH INDICATED THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF OFFERS ALREADY MADE TO THESE 15 FORMER OWNERS.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT HIS DEPARTMENT HAD ALSO REVIEWED THE COMPENSATION AMOUNTS FOR THE REMAINING EIGHT FLATS BUT HE REGRETTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO INCREASE THE SUMS ALREADY OFFERED.

HE SAID HIS OFFICE WOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR PAYMENTS AS SOON AS THE AGREEMENT FORMS ARE RECEIVED.

*ON TOP OF THESE COMPENSATION AMOUNTS, AN ELEMENT OF INTEREST WILL BE ADDED TO THEM WHEN PAYMENTS ARE MADE,+ HẸ SAID.

IN CASE THAT AN OWNER IS STILL DISSATISFIED WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION ALREADY OFFERED TO HIM, HE IS ENTITLED TO BRING THE CASE UP TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL FOR DETERMINATION,

APART FROM COMPENSATION, THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY MADE OFFERS OF CASH ASSISTANCE TO ALL FORMER DOMESTIC OWNER- OCCUPIERS OF TAI ON MANSION TO COVER THE IR LOSSES RESULTING FROM DISTURBANCE. THIS AMOUNTS TO A TOTAL OF $299,754.

MR. MO SAID THAT ALL THE OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS OF THE TAI ON MANSION HAD BEEN AWARDED APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE COMPENSATION WAS WORKED OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE AND THE CROWN LANDS RESUMPTION ORDINANCE.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS LAID DOWN, OWNERS WERE GIVEN COMPENSATION FOR THE VALUE OF THE PREMISES RESUMED AT THE DATE OF RESUMPTION. DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS, AS WELL AS THE OWNER-OCCUPIERS, WERE ALL OFFERED CASH ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM WITH THE IR REMOVAL. THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION DEPENDED LARGELY ON THE SIZE OF THEIR LIVING AND BUSINESS SPACES.

MR. MO POINTED OUT THAT THE COMPENSATION AWARDED TO THE COMMERCIAL TENANTS HAD ALREADY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THEIR BUSINESS LOSSES THAT HAD OCCURRED SINCE THE BUILDING WAS RESUMED IN APRIL AND THE LOSS IN PROFIT WHICH WOULD LIKELY OCCUR WHILST EXISTING BUSINESSES WERE BEING RE-ESTABLISHED IN NEW PREMISES.

/AS FOR