XN000022-1983-05-25 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1983

MR SO RECALLED THAT WHEN PROPERTY SPECULATION WAS AT ITS ALMOST CRAZY HEIGHT TWO YEARS AGO, PROPERTY PRICES SIMPLY WERE BEYOND THE REACH OF THE ORDINARY PEOPLE.

TENANTS WOULD BECOME VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT THE EXPIRATION OF THE LEASES BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY INCREASED RENTS, OTHERWISE THEIR LEASES WOULD NOT BE RENEWED.

+NOW AS THE PROPERTY MARKET IS STATIC, PROPERTY PRICES AND RENTS HAVE COME DOWN TO A MORE REASONABLE LEVEL, HE SAID.

CONCERN EXPRESSED ABOUT EFFECT OF BILL

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THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG URGED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATED) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983 SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

MR CHEUNG EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH THE EFFECT OF CLAUSE 2 WHICH REAFFIRMS THAT THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE, WITH OR WITHOUT THE AMENDING BILL, IS NEVER INTENDED TO APPLY TO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SMALL HOUSES ERECTED AFTER AUGUST 17, 1945 ON AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.+

+I WOULD LIKE TO QUESTION WHETHER SUCH A POLICY, APPARENTLY FORMULATED SOME 30 YEARS AGO IN 1953, SHOULD NOT BE REVIEWED, MR CHEUNG SAID.

NOTING THE RAPID REDEVELOPMENTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR CHEUNG SAID HE NEEDED TO BE CONVINCED THAT A POLICY, ORIGINALLY INTENDED ONLY TO APPLY TO THE AGRICULTURAL USAGES OF ANCESTRAL LAND, WAS STILL SUITED TO THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

+THERE IS HARDLY TODAY A PATCH OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WHICH IS STILL BEING USED FOR PADDY CULTIVATION.

+HOWEVER, RENTALS FOR TENANCIES IN RESPECT OF THESE LOTS ARE STILL RECKONED IN TERMS OF PICULS OF UNHUSKED RICE OR 'KUK', WHICH IS NO LONGER PRODUCED, MR CHEUNG POINTED OUT.

THIS LAND HAD BEEN SUBLET AND RESUBLET, WITH MANY LOTS HAVING BEEN CONVERTED INTO HOMESTEADS WITH OR WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE REGISTERED LAND ONWERS, HE SAID.

THE SITUATION, HE ADDED, HAD BEEN MADE WORSE BY THE TRANSFER OF JUDICIAL AUTHORITY IN DETERMINING DISPUTES OVER INTERESTS IN THIS LAND FROM THE OLD-FASHIONED DISTRICT OFFICERS TO THE DISTRICT COURTS.

+THE UNFAMILIAR PROCEDURES IN A DISTRICT COURT SIMPLY DETER UNSOPHISTICATED VILLAGERS FROM BRINGING THEIR GRIEVANCES CR DISPUTES FOR SETTLEMENT, MR CHEUNG SAID, ADDING THAT THIS MADE NEITHER THE LANDLORD NOR THE TENANT HAPPY.

HE SAID THAT THE SITUATION HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO DETERIORATE FOR TOO LONG AND WAS IN GRAVE NEED OF EXAMINATION TO DETERMINE WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE DONE TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS.+