XN000022-1983-07-05 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, JULY 5, 1983

THE GOVERNMENT TOOK FIRM MEASURES TO RESTRAIN THE GROWTH IN NUMBERS OF PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLES. BETWEEN EARLY MAY 1982 AND LATE FEBRUARY 1983 THE ANNUAL LICENCE FEES FOR PRIVATE CARS AND MOTOR CYCLES ROSE BETWEEN 200 PER CENT AND 350 PER CENT, TOGETHER WITH A FURTHER INCREASE IN FUEL TAX FOR ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT FRANCHISED BUSES. THIS STOPPED THE RUN-AWAY EXPANSION OF THE CAR POPULATION, HE SAID.

+RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED PRIVATE CARS HAS DECLINED BY ABOUT 3.3 PER CENT FROM 218 570 AT THE END OF APRIL 1982 TO 211 474 AT THE END OF APRIL 1983, + MR PANG CONCLUDED.

REHOUSING FOR 3 440 PEOPLE

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THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS TO CLEAR A TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA IN KWAI CHUNG AND PART OF A TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA IN KOWLOON BAY TO MAKE WAY FOR A FUTURE SCHOOL AND FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

+REHOUSING HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR ALTOGETHER 973 FAMILIES TOTALLING 3 440 PEOPLE INVOLVED, ACCORDING TO THEIR ELIGIBILITY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY.

+AT HING SHING ROAD THA IN KWAI CHUNG, OUT OF THE 863 PEOPLE IN 276 FAMILIES AFFECTED, 543 PEOPLE IN 153 FAMILIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PERMANENT PUBLIC HOUSING WHILE A FURTHER 268 PEOPLE IN 71 FAMILIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING.

+THE REMAINING 52 SINGLE PERSONS HAVE ALSO BEEN OFFERED EITHER HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION OR AN EX-GRATIA CASH ALLOWANCE OF $4 500 EACH PLUS AN EXTRA $800 IN DOMESTIC REMOVAL ALLOWANCE,+ HE ADDED.

AT THE FOURTH VILLAGE OF KOWLOON BAY THA, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, A TOTAL OF 2 577 PEOPLE FROM 697 FAMILIES WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CLEARANCE. OF THEM, 1 395 PEOPLE IN 345 FAMILIES WERE ELIGIBLE FOR PERMANENT PUBLIC HOUSING AND ANOTHER 1 131 PEOPLE IN 302 FAMILIES WERE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIMARY OR TEMPORARY HOUSING.

FORTY-NINE SINGLE PERSONS HAVE ALSO BEEN OFFERED EITHER HOSTEL OR AN EX-GRATIA CASH ALLOWANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR REHOUSING WHILE A TWO-PERSON FAMILY HAS OPTED FOR CASH ALLOWANCE OF $9 000, HE SAID.

HE SAID 56 FAMILIES OF 168 PEOPLE WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REHOUSING AS THEY HAD ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION OR HAD BEEN LIVING IN THE THAS WITHOUT AUTHORITIES.