XN000022-1978-02-15 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1978

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TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR HOMELESS OLD MEN IN TSUEN WAN

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FUNDS WILL BE PROVIDED TO BUILD PARTITIONS IN TEMPORARY HOUSING BEING PROVIDED IN KWAI CHUNG BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR MORE THAN 100 OLD, SICK AND UNEMPLOYED MEN WHO ARE TO BE EVICTED FROM THEIR HOME IN TSUEN WAN BY THEIR LANDLORD.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS- JONES, GAVE THIS ASSURANCE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY WHEN HE OUTLINED THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO CARE FOR THESE OLD MEN.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAH, HE SAID A SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT OFFICE SHOWED THAT MANY OF THE 112 OLD MEN WOULD BE LEFT HOMELESS BY THE EVICTION.

+ THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING HAS THEREFORE AGREED TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE WHO WILL BE HOMELESS IN TEMPORARY HOUSING IN KWAI CHUNG- FUNDS WILL BE SEPARATELY PROVIDED FOR BUILDING THE NECESSARY PARTITIONS IN THIS TEMPORARY HOUSING,+ MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SHORTLY BEFORE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR, THE TSUEN WAN TOWN MANAGER, MR. JAMES HAYES, HAD SECURED AN AGREEMENT FROM THE LANDLORD AND THE PRINCIPAL TENANT TO DEFER REPOSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY.

THIS GAVE TIME FOR OFFICERS FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO COMPLETE A SURVEY OF THE OCCUPANTS.

HE SAID THE TEMPORARY HOUSING IN KWAI CHUNG WOULD NOT BE AVAIL- ABLE UNTIL APRIL, AND THE LANDLORD HAD NOW AGREED TO ANOTHER DEFER- MENT OF REPOSSESS ION UNTIL THE END OF NEXT MONTH,

+THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE MEANWHILE IS ARRANGING FOR THE OLD AND THE HANDICAPPED TO RECEIVE TREATMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL CARE,+ HE ADDED.

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