XN000022-1979-09-24 — Page 7

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1979

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MR. HOWES STRESSED THAT WHEN THESE DEVELOPMENTS INTRODUCTION OF A SECOND THROUGH TRAIN AND ONE OR TWO DIRECT FREIGHT TRAINS FROM CHINA COME TO FRUITION, THEY WILL REPRESENT THE MAXIMUM THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

+THIS IS BECAUSE THE RAILWAY WILL BE CONSIDERABLY DISRUPTED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD OF MODERNISING AND ELECTRIFYING K.C.R.. RECOGNISING THAT THE FIRST PRIORITY MUST BE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.

FIRM ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL STRUCTURES IN

ISLANDS DISTRICT *****

OWNERS AND OCCUPIERS OF FLATS, BUILDINGS AND VILLAGE-TYPE HOUSES IN THE ISLANDS DISTRICT WERE WARNED TODAY (MONDAY) AGAINST MAKING ILLEGAL EXTENSIONS OR ALTERATIONS TO THEIR PREMISES.

THEY WERE ALSO TOLD THAT SUCH ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES WOULD LEAD TO DEMOLITION AND, POSSIBLY, PROSECUTION BY THE GOVERNMENT WHICH MAY RESULT IN A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10 000 AND SIX MONTHS IMPRISONMENT.

THE WARNING WAS GIVEN BY THE ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. NICKY LO FOLLOWING A RECENT OPERATION AT MUI WO WHERE UNLAWFUL EXTENSIONS TO 11 FLATS ON TWO BUILDINGS ADJACENT THE FERRY PIER WERE DEMOLISHED BY DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF.

MR. LO SAID HE WAS BECOMING VERY MUCH CONCERNED THAT MORE AND MORE ILLEGAL MODIFICATIONS TO BUILDINGS HAD COME TO LIGHT ON OUTLYING ISLANDS IN RECENT MONTHS.

+THE ILLEGAL WORK NOT ONLY BREACHES LEASE CONDITIONS BUT,

IN MOST CASES, THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

+FURTHERMORE, THEY MAY BE STRUCTURALLY DANGEROUS OR A FIRE HAZARD AND MAY SPOIL THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING SO HARD TO CONSERVE.+

MR. LO POINTED OUT THAT MINOR ILLEGAL ALTERATIONS TO STRUCTURES WERE HITHERTO TOLERATED BUT IN VIEW OF THE MODERN DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT, THE SITUATION COULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE UNCHECKED.

TO DETER SQUATTING AND ILLEGAL MODIFICATIONS, THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAS LAUNCHED A VIGOROUS ATTACK ON THE PROBLEM.

+WHILE WE ARE TAKING FIRM ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL STRUCTURES, STAFF OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO ADVISE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN BREACH OF THE LAW TO CORRECT THE SITUATION,+ HE SAID.

MR. LO