XN000022-1979-06-25 — Page 2

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1979

GOVT MUST LOOK BEYOND NEW TOWNS

TO COPE WITH POPULATION GROWTH

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO LOOK BEYOND THE NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO PROVIDE FOR MORE LAND FOR HOMES, FACTORIES AND COMMUNITY BUILDINGS IN FACE OF THE LARGE INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE 11TH TERM OF OFFICE BEARERS OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF NEW TERRITORIES, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THAT HONG KONG'S POPULATION HAD INCREASED BY 200,000 OR MORE PEOPLE FROM CHINA IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, EVEN IF THE REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM EVENTUALLY MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY,

+NO ONE CAN SAY FOR SURE WHAT THE POPULATION WILL BE IN FIVE YEARS' TIME BUT IT IS SENSIBLE FOR US TO LOOK NOW AT WHAT EFFECT THESE PRESSURES OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE ON OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMMES, ON EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES, AND UPON OUR HOUSING PROGRAMME, HE SAID,

MR. AKERS-JONES NOTED THAT THE 10-YEAR HOUSING PROGRAMME OF 1973 COULD ALMOST SEE AN END TO THE PROBLEM OF INADEQUATE HOUSING AND A DAY WHEN IT COULD BEGIN TO REMOVE THE SQUATTER HUTS FROM THE HILLSIDES.

BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT NO ONE COULD SAY THAT TODAY.

+OUR HOUSING PROGRAMME TO BUILD 35,000 UNITS OF PUBLIC HOUSING IS ALREADY PUTTING A STRAIN ON OUR ABILITY TO BUILD. TO MAINTAIN A REASONABLE STABILITY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND ALSO AVOID OVERHEATING THE ECONOMY BY PUMPING TOO GREAT AN AMOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS INTO THE ECONOMY, HE SAID.

NEVERTHELESS, HE ADDED: IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH A HOUSING PROGRAMME, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, WELL BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE NEW TOWNS AS THEY ARE PRESENTLY PLANNED.

+WE MUST LOOK FOR MORE LAND FOR HOMES, FACTORIES AND COMMUNITY BUILDINGS, AND I CANNOT THINK OF ANY WAY TO EXPAND, EXCEPT INTO THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+MOREOVER IT WOULD BE WISE TO THINK IN LARGE NUMBERS OVER A LONG TIME AND THEN TO WORK OUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES, IN EVERY SENSE, FOR THE IMMENSE AND SUSTAINED EFFORT THAT WILL BE NEEDED.+

MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THAT THIS YEAR HONG KONG SEEMED TO FACE MANY PROBLEMS ALL AT ONCE A FUEL SHORTAGE, A TRADE DEFICIT, FINANCIAL RESTRAINT, INFLATION AND A HUMAN TIDE OF PEOPLE.

+THEY SEEM TO THREATEN THE LIVING STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE SO CAREFULLY AND DILIGENTLY ACHIEVED BY HARD WORK AND ENTERPRISE OVER MANY YEARS.

+SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS WE SHARE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT THERE CAN BE NOWHERE WHERE THEY ARE SO CONCENTRATED.

/+AND YET

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