XN000022-1977-02-02 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1977

THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY UNDER THE 1976 BILL HAD FOR SOME TIME BEEN RECEIVING MANY ENQUIRIES ABOUT SITES BOTH FROM OVERSEAS AND FROM LOCAL INDUSTRIAL SOURCES.

+THE VIABILITY OF THE PROJECT IS NO LONGER IN QUESTION, AND WE SHOULD NOW MOVE AHEAD WITH ALL SPEED TO HAVE A PERMANENT LEGAL STRUCTURE FOR THESE NEW INDUSTRIAL ESTATES,+ HE STRESSED.

HOWEVER, HE EMPHASISED, WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF INDUSTRIAL ZONES OR ESTATES ELSEWHERE, PROVISION WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE FOR DECENT HOUSING ACCOMMODATION FOR WORKERS ADJACENT TO THE ESTATES, AS WELL AS FOR ADEQUATE PROVISION OF RECREATION FACILITIES. EDUCATION AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE WORKERS.

+FOR THE SAKE OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO A PROGRAMME OF INDUSTRIALISATION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, BUT IN CARRYING OUT SUCH PROGRAMME LET US PROVIDE THE BEST CONDITIONS FOR WORK AND LIVING TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN AFFORD, AND WITH DUE REGARD TO PRESERVING AS MUCH OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AS OUR PLANNERS CAN CREATIVELY DEVISE, MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID.

ANOTHER UNOFFICIAL SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL WAS THE HON. JAMES WU.

HE SAID THAT EXORBITANT RENTS WERE CREATING DIFFICULTIES FOR MANY OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES.

+THIS SENTIMENT WAS FULLY MANIFESTED BY A MEETING ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES AND THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE TOP OFFICIALS OF THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL ESTATES PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY AND IN THE SUBSEQUENT REPORTS BY THE PRESS, + HE STATED.

+THE GENERAL PLEA WAS FOR MUCH MORE LAND TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR GENERAL INDUSTRIAL USE TO BRING RENTS DOWN AND TO HELP HOUSE MORE MODERN, MASSIVE AND MORE PRODUCTIVE MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT SO THAT WE CAN MEET ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH OUR COMPETITORS.

+OTHERWISE, THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, UPON WHICH HONG KONG'S FUTURE RELIES, WOULD BE LIMITED, AS ANY INCREASE IN PRODUCTIVITY BY LABOUR AND MANAGEMENT WOULD BE MORE THAN LIKELY OFF-SET BY HIGH LAND PRICES AND RENTS FUELED BY SPECULATION AND PLENTIFUL MONEY SUPPLY.+

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MR. WU ADDED THAT FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF PRESENT INDUSTRIAL ESTATES. IT APPEARED FEASIBLE TO RECLAIM LAND FROM THE SEA AND ALLOCATE SAME FOR FULL DEVELOPMENT FOR GENERAL INDUSTRIAL USE TO EASE THE SITUATION.

REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY THE UNOFFICIALS, THE SECREATARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON. DAVID JEAFFRESON, SAID THE VARIOUS RELEVANT POINTS RAISED IN THE DEBATE WOULD BE PUT TO THE CORPORATION AND MEANWHILE THE PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY.

/+ IN REGARD