XN000022-1982-06-30 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1982

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RACKETEERS BEHIND SQUATTER HUTS

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VERY FEW SQUATTERS BUILT THEIR OWN HUTS AND NEARLY ALL NEW SQUATTER HUT BUILDING WAS UNDERTAKEN BY RACKETEERS FOR SALE, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON DONALD LIAO, SAID TODAY.

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE CROWN LAND (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR LIAO SAID ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF CROWN LAND BY SQUATTERS HAD PRESENTED SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN RECENT YEARS.

A LARGE NUMBER OF NEW HUTS HAD BEEN BUILT, MANY OF THEM ON DANGEROUS HILL SLOPES OR PRECARIOUSLY SITED ON INADEQUATE FOUNDATIONS.

+THE TRAGIC RESULTS OF THIS WERE SEEN IN THE FIRES OF LAST WINTER AND THE RAINSTORMS AT THE END OF MAY, HE SAID.

MR LIAO POINTED OUT THAT AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THE CONTROL OF NEW SQUATTER HUT BUILDING WAS THE ARREST AND PROSECUTION OF THE BUILDERS.

THE EXISTING MAXIMUM PENALTY WAS A FINE OF $10 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS, AND ALTHOUGH ON AVERAGE MORE THAN 50 PERSONS WERE CHARGED EACH MONTH, THE PENALTIES IMPOSED APPEARED TO HAVE LITTLE DETERRENT EFFECT, HE SAID.

+ IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE EXISTING CONTROLS IN RESPECT OF ILLEGAL STRUCTURES ON CROWN LAND, THE BILL PROPOSES THAT WHERE STRUCTURES ARE ERECTED FOR GAIN, THE OFFENDER SHALL BE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $50 000 AND TO IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR.

+ADDITIONALLY, IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION BE ADDED TO THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE TO INTRODUCE A LEGAL PRESUMPTION THAT AN OFFENDER IS BUILDING A HUT FOR SALE, THE BURDEN OF PROOF WILL THEN BE ON HIM TO SHOW THAT HE DID NOT ERECT THE STRUCTURE WITH A VIEW TO GAIN. +

THE BILL ALSO SEEKS TO ENABLE THE COURT TO ACCEPT AS PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE A CERTIFICATE SIGNED BY AN ESTATE SURVEYOR TO PROVE THAT THE LAND IN QUESTION IS UNLEASED CROWN LAND AND THAT

NO LICENCE, DEED OR MEMORANDUM OF APPROPRIATION HAS BEEN GRANTED WHICH WOULD AUTHOR ISE CONSTRUCTION ON THE LAND.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.