XN000022-1980-03-21 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1980

INCREASES IN COMPENSATION FOR RESUMED LAND IN NT

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) ANNOUNCED INCREASES IN ITS COMPENSATION RATES FOR LAND RESUMED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

FROM APRIL 1, OWNERS OF RESUMED AGRICULTURAL LAND WITHIN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT ÁREAS WILL BE COMPENSATED AT THE NEW FULL RATE OF $63 PER SQUARE FOOT INSTEAD OF $59 PER SQUARE FOOT - AN INCREASE OF ABOUT SEVEN PER CENT.

THE EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE OFFERED TO OWNERS OF RESUMED

BUILDING LAND WITHIN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT AREAS WILL BE AT THE NEW FULL RATE OF $135 PER SQUARE FOOT INSTEAD OF $125 PER SQUARE FOOT - AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 7-1/2 PER CENT.

GIVING DETAILS OF THE NEW RATES TODAY, THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT LAND AGENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION,

MR F.D. ROOME, SAID THEY HAD BEEN DRAWN UP IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF CONDUCTING HALF-YEARLY REVIEWS OF COMPENSATION RATES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE POLICY WAS ADOPTED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE WORKING GROUP ON NEW TERRITORIES URBAN LAND ACQUISITION HEADED BY SIR YUET- KEUNG KAN,

MR ROOME SAID THE NEW RATES WOULD BE EFFECTIVE UP TO SEPTEMBER 30 THIS YEAR, WHEN A FURTHER REVIEW WOULD BE CARRIED OUT.

HE POINTED OUT THAT, UNDER THE REVISED GOVERNMENT LAND RESUMPTION POLICY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, OWNERS OF RESUMED LAND OUTSIDE THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT AREAS WOULD BE COMPENSATED AT A PROPORTIONATE PERCENTAGE OF THE NEW FULL RATES DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE LAND RESUMED, AND MORE PARTICULARLY AS DEFINED ON A ZONAL PLAN AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY THE PUBLIC AT EACH OF THE EIGHT DISTRICT OFFICES OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

TSUEN WAN ARTS FESTIVAL ENDS

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THE SECOND TSUEN WAN ARTS FESTIVAL HAS ENDED SUCCESSFULLY WITH AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE RATE OF 93 PER CENT.

DURING THE FESTIVAL PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 23 TO MARCH 16, MORE THAN 31 000 TICKETS WERE SOLD FOR THE 27 PERFORMANCES HÉLD

IN THE TSUEN WAN TOWN HALL. OF THESE PERFORMANCES, 21 WERE FULL HOUSES.

A TOTAL OF 48 EVENTS WERE STAGED AT THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL, BOTH IN THE TOWN HALL AND AT OUTDOOR VENUES, COMPARED WITH 36 LAST YEAR.

THE CLOSING OF THE SECOND TSUEN WAN ARTS FESTIVAL WAS MARKED BY A PERFORMANCE BY THE CHINESE ORCHESTRA LAST SUNDAY (MARCH 16).

/AMONG THE