XN000022-1977-12-02 — Page 4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1977

POLICY IN COMPENSATING THOSE AFFECTED BY NT DEVELOPMENT EXPLAINED

****

THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S COMPENSATION POLICIES IN ACQUIRING LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE.

HE SAID THE QUESTION OF THE PRICE THAT WAS PAID FOR THE RESUMPTION OF LAND AND THE EXCHANGE SYSTEM REQUIRED REVIEW AND WAS NOW BEING EXAMINED BY A SPECIAL COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY SIR YUET-KEUNG KAN.

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWNS AND MARKET TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES INVOLVED A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVING TO MOVE.

TWO YEARS AGO, HE SAID, JUST OVER 6,000 PEOPLE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE TO LEAVE THE IR HOMES TO MAKE WAY FOR DEVELOPMENT.

THIS YEAR, ABOUT 12,000 PEOPLE WOULD BE MOVED AND NEXT YEAR, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WOULD BE DISTURBED AND WHOSE HOMES WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEARED WOULD BE ABOUT 50,000, HE SAID.

MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THAT IN MOVING THESE PEOPLE, THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE WAS THAT NO PERSC.. DISPLACED BY THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME SHOULD BE RENDERED HOMELESS.

+THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN BUILDINGS WHICH WERE SURVEYED IN 1964 ARE WHEREVER POSSIBLE GIVEN DIRECT ACCOMMODATION IN OUR NEW HOUSING ESTATES.

+THOSE WHO OCCUPY BUILDINGS PUT UP SINCE 1964 AND WHICH WERE SURVEYED IN 1976 ARE GIVEN ACCOMMODATION IN A TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA, HE ADDED.

+FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOSE THE IR HOMES, THERE MUST BE HOUSING, HE STRESSED.

FOR FARMERS INVOLVED IN LAND RESUMPTION, R. AKERS-JONES SAID PROFESSIONAL OFFICERS FROM THE AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT ASSESSED THE VALUE OF A WIDE VARIETY OF STANDING CROPS WITH PAINSTAKING CARE.

+FIELDS, WELLS AND PINE TREES MUST BE MEASURED THE PRICE OF CHICKENS MUST BE ESTABLISHED AND ROOM LEFT FOR AGGRIEVED FARMERS TO QUESTION WHETHER ASSESSMENTS MADE WERE CORRECT- WE MUST BE READY TO CHANGE IF THEY ARE NOT.+

AS FOR THE VILLAGER WHOSE VILLAGE HOUSE HAS TO BE REMOVED, HE SAID, A NEW HOUSE IS BUILT FOR HIM WHICH IS ABOUT FIVE TIMES BIGGER THAN THE ONE HE HAS TO LEAVE.

+

/AS FOR THE