XN000022-1981-11-22 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1981

CHIEF SECRETARY INSPECTS FIRE DISASTER AREA

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, WENT TO LAM TIN ESTATE THIS (SUNDAY) AFTERNOON TO SEE FOR HIMSELF THE DISASTER CAUSED BY THE SERIOUS FIRE LAST NIGHT AT LAM MEI TSUEN, OI WAH TSUEN AND YUEN MO TSUEN.

HE VIEWED THE AREA FROM THE ROOFTOP OF BLOCK 4 OF THE ESTATE WHERE HE SPOKE TO MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA.

SIR PHILIP EXPRESSED HIS GRATITUDE TO ALL CONCERNED. HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE WAY IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED +HAVE YET AGAIN RALLIED ROUND AND PERFORMED WITH SUCH EFFICIENCY.+

+1 ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT ADVISOR / BOARD TURNED UP IN FORCE BECAUSE THEY HAPPENED TO BE AT A MEETING NEARBY AND SAW THE BLAZE. THEY CAME OVER TO DO WHATEVER THEY COULD TO ASSIST WHICH I MUST SAY I FOUND VERY GRATIFYING INDEED,+ HE SAID.

MEMBERS OF THE LAM TIN MUTUAL AID COMMITTEE ALSO TURNED UP TO HELP WITH RELIEF WORK.

SIR PHILIP SAID THAT SOME 4 800 PEOPLE MADE HOMELESS BY THE FIRE WOULD HAVE TO BE ACCOMMODATED ELSEWHERE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. + INITIALLY, OF COURSE LARGELY IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION. BUT EVENTUALLY THEY WILL HAVE TO BE PROVIDED WITH ACCOMMODATION OF A SEMI-PERMANENT NATURE.+

SIR PHILIP SAID THAT THE SHAM SHUI PO TRANSIT SHELTER WAS FOR THE MOMENT THE ONLY AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR FAMILIES MADE HOMELESS BY THE FIRE. THIS MEANT THAT THE CONVERSION OF THE CAMP INTO A PUBLIC PARK WOULD HAVE TO BE POSTPONED.

ACCOMMODATION WAS ALSO BEING PROVIDED IN THE GOVERNMENT DOCKYARD IN CANTON ROAD FOR SINGLE MEN WITHOUT A HOME BECAUSE OF THE FIRE.

ASKED IF HE THOUGHT THAT THE SQUATTERS COULD BE RE-HOUSED ON THE FIRE SITE, SIR PHILIP SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF THAT PIECE OF LAND WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-ASSESSED. IF FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT IT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR ANY PURPOSE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS. THEN CLEARLY THAT WOULD BE ONE SITUATION. BUT ON

THE OTHER HAND IF IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THEN MAY BE THE DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD. TO PERMIT THEM TO MOVE BACK FOR SUCH A SHORT PERIOD WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE UNWISE, HE SAID.

ANSWERING ANOTHER QUESTION, SIR PHILIP STRESSED THAT BETTER ORDER WAS NEEDED WITHIN SQUATTER AREAS. HE SAID THAT THE LAYOUT OF THE HUTS SHOULD BE MORE ORDERLY AND THERE SHOULD BE FEWER ILLEGAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE BETTER DISCIPLINE OVER THE USE OF LPG INSTALLATIONS IN PARTICULAR.

/+AND OF COURSE,