XN000022-1980-05-19 — Page 3

MONDAY, MAY 19, 1980

WITH HIGHER STANDARDS OF LIVING AND MEDICAL CARE, HE SAID, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS INCREASED TO 70 FOR MALES AND 77 FOR FEMALES, AND THIS, COUPLED WITH SUCCESS IN FAMILY PLANNING, WILL SOON GREATLY AUGMENT THE PROPORTION OF THE ELDERLY FROM THE PRESENT LEVEL OF SIX PER CENT.

+RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE AND HIGH DENSITY LIVING ARE FACTORS THAT CAUSE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRADITIONAL AND EXTENDED FAMILY STRUCTURE BY SMALL NUCLEUS FAMILIES, MAKING MORE ELDERLY PERSONS RELY ON PUBLIC SUPPORT, DR THONG SAID.

LEASE-EXPIRED RESIDENTS WALL NOT BE FORCED OUT

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RESIDENTS OF A NUMBER OF YAU MA TEI PROPERTIES TAKEN INTO DIRECT GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT IN APRIL WILL NOT BE FORCIBLY EVICTED,

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT NO OCCUPIERS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MOVE OUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND THAT NO FORCED EVICTION ACTION IS CONTEMPLATED.+

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO STRESSED THAT ALL GENUINE OCCUPIERS WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH PUBLIC HOUSING IN CASES WHERE BUILDINGS WERE REQUIRED TO BE DEMOLISHED FOR PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT IN DUE COURSE.

FORMER OWNERS ARE ALREADY BEING PAID EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES FOR THE BUILDINGS TAKEN INTO DIRECT MANAGEMENT.

SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FIELD STAFF HAVE ALSO STARTED INTERVIEWING THOSE EX-OWNERS WHO CLAIM FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AS A RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DIRECT MANAGEMENT ACTION, WITH A VIEW TO OFFERING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WHERE APPROPRIATĖ.

TUNG

THE PROPERTIES AFFECTED ARE IN CHING PING STREET KUN STREET, LEE TAT STREET, CHEUNG SHUI STREET, PUBLIC SQUARE STREET AND CANTON ROAD.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THESE PROPERTIES FORMED A SITE WHICH WAS ZONED FOR OPEN SPACE AND A SCHOOL WHICH WILL IN DUE COURSE BE DEVELOPED TO REDRESS THE PRESENT DEFICIENCY IN THE DISTRICT,

HE ALSO DENIED THAT ALL PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE SIX STREETS HAD BEEN ASSURED THAT THEIR NON-RENEWABLE 75-YEAR LEASES WOULD BE RENEWED.

+PRIOR TO 1970 THE GOVERNMENT MADE A GENERAL STATEMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT IF LEASE-EXPIRED PROPERTIES WERE NOT REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT, CONSIDERATION COULD BE GIVEN TO THEIR LEASES BEING REGRANTED, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

+HOWEVER, THE DECISION IN RESPECT OF INDIVIDUAL CASES HAS OBVIOUSLY HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THEIR OWN MERITS. NO ASSURANCES HAVE BEEN GIVEN.+

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