XN000022-1981-12-09 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1981

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MR CHAN BELIEVED THAT THE FINAL SOLUTION TO THE HOUSING PROBLEM LIES IN THE BUILDING OF MORE PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS.

THE RECENT INCREASE BY AN AVERAGE 3.3 TIMES OF THE ASSESSABLE VALUE+ WOULD NET AN ESTIMATED $800 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX THIS YEAR, HE NOTED.

+THIS IS A RIGHT STEP IN TAXING RENTAL INCOME TO THE FULL RATE.

+THIS AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PUBLIC COFFERS WOULD, I HOPE, BE USED FOR THE BUILDING OF EVEN MORE PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP UNITS WHICH ARE A STABILISING FACTOR TO OUR SOCIETY BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY, MR CHAN SAID.

TURNING TO THE BILL, MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THERE. NO PROVISION LIMITING THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF THE RENEWALS OF TENANCIES.

PERPETUAL SECURITY OF TENURE FORCES A WORKER-OWNER WHO WORKS AND SAVES HARD FOR A FLAT TO IRONICALLY LEAVE IT ON DEATH NOT TO HIS BELOVED ONES, BUT TO HIS PARASITICAL TENANT, HE SAID.

NOR IS HE ABLE TO RECOVER IT FOR SALE WITH VACANT POSSESSION AT FULL MARKET VALUE WHEN IN SERIOUS FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES OR WHEN HE AND HIS FAMILY EMIGRATE.

MR CHAN THOUGHT THAT THE ADOPTION OF THE +FAIR MARKET RENT TO BE DETERMINED BY THE LANDS TRIBUNAL IS AN IMPROVEMENT BUT WHETHER THIS IS RENT CONTROL OR OTHERWISE DEPENDS ON WHETHER THE + IR MARKET RENT+ IS EQUIVALENT TO OR NOT LESS THAN THE RECENTLY UPDATED +ASSESSABLE VALUE OF THE SAME DOMESTIC PREMISES FOR TAX PURPOSES.

THE LAW ALSO STIPULATES THAT ONCE A WRIT IS ISSUED IN A REPOSSESSION CASE, THE LANDLORD CANNOT CHANGE HIS MIND AND WITHDRAW THE WRIT TO SETTLE OUTSIDE THE COURT WITHOUT BEING CONSTRAINED BY THE TWO-YEAR NO-LETTING-OR-SELLING RESTRICTION.

BUT HE FELT THAT SETTLEMENT OUTSIDE THE COURT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.

+ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SETTLEMENT OUT OF COURT IS NOT AGAINST

THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE, HE SAID.

+MOREOVER, LESS TRIBUNAL AND LEGAL AID CASES ARE REQUIRED, AND TIME IS SAVED FOR ALL PARTIES CONCERNED.

+ABOVE ALL, THERE WOULD BE LESS BITTERNESS IN SOCIETY.+

MR CHAN NOTED THAT CONCILIATION SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN THE LABOUR TRIBUNALS BEFORE AN OFFICIAL JUDGMENT IS MADE.

+ IF ONE IS NOT ALREADY IN EXISTENCE, I WONDER WHETHER A SIMILAR SYSTEM CAN BE PROFITABLY APPLIED TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL CASES.

+ THE LANDLORD SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE NOTICE TO HIS TENANT PRESCRIBED FORM TO THE EFFECT THAT HE WISHES TO APPLY FOR A WRIT BUT BEFORE SO DOING BOTH PARTIES SHOULD GO TO THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT FOR RECONCILIATION SERVICE FOR SETTLEMENT. + HE SAID.

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