XN000022-1980-01-30 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1980

HE AGREED THAT TO THE TENANTS A MEASURE OF RELIEF HAD TO BE GIVEN ALTHOUGH HE THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE RECOGNISED THAT THE BULK OF THE AFFECTED PREMISES WERE OWNED, NOT BY LARGE OWNERS, BUT BY THOSE WHO OWNED PROBABLY ONE FLAT WITH THE INTENTION OF RESUMING IT FOR PERSONAL USE AT THE END OF A FIXED TERM OF RENTAL.

HE SAID HOWEVER THAT HIS CONCERN FOR THE HARDSHIPS OF THE SANDWICHED CLASSES DID NOT EXTEND TO CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENT

OR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS, AND HE DID NOT ACCEPT THE ARGUMENT THAT FOR THE SAKE OF SIMPLICITY MEASURES ADOPTED FOR THOSE

IN NEED SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT.

THE HON ROGER LOBO

HE SAID THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EXTENDED RENT CONTROL BILL WAS RECEIVED WITH GENERAL RELIEF THAT DECISIVE ACTION WAS AT LAST BEING TAKEN TO HALT THE DETERIORATION OF A DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION.

+WHEN RENTS RISE TO LEVELS AT WHICH AN UNDULY HIGH PROPORTION OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS COMMITTED THEN, THE WHOLE QUALITY OF LIFE IS IN DANGER AND, WHEN REASONABLE, SECURITY OF TENURE IS THREATENED AS A RESULT, IT IS LONG PAST TIME FOR GOVERNMENT TO INTERVENE, EVEN IF IT MEANS GOING BACK ON PREVIOUS STATEMENTS,+ MR LOBO SAID.

+GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY HAS THE RIGHT TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES BUT HAS THE OBLIGATION TO DO SO WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES DEMAND.+

HE NOTED THAT NOBODY SUPPOSES THAT THIS LEGISLATION SHOULD EVER BE MORE THAN A STRICTLY TEMPORARY RELIEF OR EXPECTS

IT TO COVER EVERY EVENTUALITY,

·IF WE WORKED FOR MONTHS ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THIS BILL WE WOULD ONLY DRAG OUT THE PERIOD OF UNCERTAINTY AND FRUSTRATION AND DELAY PROGRESS ON THE MUCH MORE POSITIVE ACTION WHICH IS URGENTLY REQUIRED, HE ADDED.

THE HON T.S. LO

MR LO IS IN FAVOUR OF THE RENT CONTROL WHICH IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT ALL HONG KONG BELONGERS NEEDING PROTECTION.

BUT HE FIRMLY OPPOSED TO EXTENDING SUCH PROTECTION TO THOSE +WHO ARE NOT HONG KONG BELONGERS SUCH AS CORPORATIONS AND CONSULATES OR THOSE WITH MORE THAN ADEQUATE RESOURCES SUCH AS THE GOVERNMENT OR TENANTS OF LUXURY FLATS+.

THE MIDDLE-CLASS HONG KONG BELONGER DOES NOT RENT LUXURY FLATS TO LIVE IN, HE SAID.

+I SUSPECT THAT THE REAL REASON FOR THOSE IN FAVOUR OF CONTROLLING LUXURY FLATS IS AN UNEXPRESSED FEAR THAT THE DEFINITION OF A LUXURY FLAT MAY CATCH MEDIUM SIZED FLATS AS WELL. +

/BY LUXURY