XN000022-1979-02-14 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1979

OFF-COURSE BETTING CENTRES

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THE VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS AND ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, KAIFONG AND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATIONS ARE SOUGHT BEFORE APPROVAL IS GIVEN TO THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB TO OPEN AN OFF- COURSE BETTING CENTRE.

THIS IS CARRIED OUT INFORMALLY BY THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER CONCERNED, OR THE DISTRICT OFFICER IN THE CASE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. F.K. LI ADDED: +HE USES HIS OWN JUDGEMENT IN ASSESSING THE VIEWS HE HAS COLLECTED AND ADVISES ME WHETHER OR NOT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OFF-COURSE BETTING CENTRE IN THE PROPOSED LOCALITY IS LIKELY TO MEET WITH OPPOSITION BY THE RESIDENTS IN THAT NEIGHBOURHOOD, +

ELDERLY COUPLE OFFERED TEMPORARY HOUSING

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THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FIRST OFFERED ACCOMMODATION IN A TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA TO AN ELDERLY YAU MA TEI COUPLE IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR, AND THE OFFER REMAINS OPEN.

THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. ALAN SCOTT SAID THIS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CASE OF THE COUPLE WHO LIVE IN AN ILLEGAL STRUCTURE ON THE PAVEMENT OUTSIDE NO. 5 TUNG FONG STREET.

MR. SCOTT SAID FURTHER EFFORTS HAD BEEN MADE TO PERSUADE THE COUPLE TO ACCEPT TEMPORARY HOUSING BUT THEY CONTINUED TO REFUSE IT, AND TO REPEAT A CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION OF $200,000 WHICH HAD NO BASIS AT ALL.

+ IN HIS INTERIM REPLY ON JANUARY 16 TO THE UMELCO OFFICE, THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER, YAU MA TEI, OUTLINED THE UNHAPPY HISTORY OF MR. CHEUNG KWOK-MING AND HIS WIFE, THE CLEARANCE AND REAPPEARANCE OF THEIR STRUCTURE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THE OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE MADE TO THEM BY SEVERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES OVER THE YEARS, MR. SCOTT SAID.

+HE ALSO RELATED HOW THIS ELDERLY COUPLE HAS SO FAR REFUSED ALL EFFORTS TO ASSIST, EXCEPT FOR PAYMENTS UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME.+

MR. SCOTT SAID ALL EFFORTS TO MOVE THE COUPLE SO FAR HAD BEEN BASED ON PERSUASION, BUT IT MIGHT SOON BECOME NECESSARY TO DEMOLISH THE STRUCTURE, AND TO RE-ACCOMMODATE THEM AGAINST THEIR WISHES.

+NATURALLY, NO-ONE WANTS TO DO THIS TO AN ELDERLY AND ON OCCASION CONFUSED COUPLE, AND I HOPE THAT OUR EFFORTS AT PERSUASION WILL SOON BE SUCCESSFUL, HE SAID.

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