XN000022-1984-10-09 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1984

CLEARANCE DEFINITELY GOING AHEAD'

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THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT OFFICER, MR JAMES WILSON, TODAY URGED AGERS INVOLVED IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE TIN SHUI WAI LEARANCE TO TAKE UP REHOUSING AND EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE OFFERS WHICH HAVE ALL BEEN ARRANGED.

HE EMPHASISED THAT THE CLEARANCE WOULD DEFINITELY GO AHEAD AT THE END OF THE MONTH, ON OCTOBER 31, AND NOT IN DECEMBER AS REPORTED IN SOME NEWSPAPERS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE HAD AGREED TO MAKE SITES AVAILABLE AT SHA CHAU LEI FOR THE INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS INVOLVED IN THE CLEARANCE TO BUILD THEIR ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME SMALL HOUSES GRANTED UNDER THE NEW TERRITORIES SMALL HOUSE POLICY.

THE INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS HAD BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE THEIR IDEAL LAYOUT FOR THE HOUSES FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUT THE OFFICE HAD SO FAR RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.

THE OFFICE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THEY NEITHER RECEIVED ANY FORMAL APPLICATION FOR THESE GRANTS ALTHOUGH APPLICATION FORMS VERE PASSED TO THE TIN SHUI WAI VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES FOR DISTRIBUTION ON SEPTEMBER 12.

+SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR SMALL HOUSES WILL ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A RENTAL ALLOWANCE TO HELP THEM WITH TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION. EACH FAMILY WILL BE OFFERED UP TO $1 400 PER MONTH FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LONGER THAN 18 MONTHS,+ MR WILSON SAID.

ALSO, THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE HAD ALLOCATED A SITE ON CROWN LAND FOR OTHER AFFECTED VILLAGERS TO BUILD NEW HOMES UNDER AN ANNUAL LICENCE. HOWEVER, NO WORK HAD YET STARTED ON CONSTRUCTION OF THESE HOUSES. THE DISTRICT OFFICER URGED THE AFFECTED VILLAGERS TO COLLECT THE IR LICENCES AND START WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

+FOR THE ANNUAL LICENSEES, EACH WILL GET A ONCE-FOR-ALL REHABILITATION ALLOWANCE OF $11 300.

+THE EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES ARE ALL READY FOR COLLECTION AT THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE VILLAGERS ARE ADVISED TO PICK UP THE CHEQUES NOW.+

ONE OF THE AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND VILLAGERS IS THE QUESTION OF TREES AND WELLS PLANTED OR DUG AROUND FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, WELL AFTER THE CLEARANCE WAS ANNOUNCED AND THUS THESE ITEMS DID NOT QUALIFY FOR EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES.

MR WILSON ADDED THAT CONSTRUCTION OF MASSIVE DRAIANGE CULVERT AND WORK ON THE DIVERSION OF THE TAI RIVER WOULD START IN THE FIRST WEEK OF NEXT MONTH.

THIS IS THE FIRST MAIN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR WORK IN THE TIN SHUI WAI DEVELOPMENT ZONE,

+ON COMPLETION OF THE WORK. MUCH OF THE LONG-EXISTING PROBLEM OF FLOODING IN PING SHAN AND HATSUEN WILL BE SOLVED. THIS WILL ALSO MAKE WAY FOR THE MAIN FORMATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TIN SHUI WAI DEVELOPMENT, HE SAID.

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