XN000022-1984-10-18 — Page 13

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1984

ON EXTENSION OF NON-RENEWABLE LEASES FOR LAND ZONED FOR GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTIONAL AND COMMUNITY USE OR OPEN SPACE ON TOWN PLANS, HE SAID: +1 BELIEVE THE MOVE TOWARDS ALLOWING FOR THE EXTENSION OF LEASES ON A RENTAL RATHER THAN A PREMIUM BASIS WILL PROVIDE FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY IN DEALING WITH LAND REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT AT SOME FUTURE DATE.

+1 AM THEREFORE SYMPATHETIC TOWARDS MR HU'S APPROACH AND WE WILL BE CONSIDERING CAREFULLY HOW BEST TO USE THIS FLEXIBILITY. HOWEVER, AS I HAVE ALREADY INDICATED, WE CAN ONLY BE CONCERNED AT THIS STAGE WITH LEASES EXPIRING NOT LATER THAN JUNE 30, 1997.+

AS REGARDS LEASES FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES SUCH AS THOSE FOR RECREATION AND FOR PETROL FILLING STATIONS, MR CHAN SAID THEY REQUIRED A VARIETY OF SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF GRANT AND THAT THEY WERE NOW BEING GIVEN FURTHER CONSIDERATION WITHIN GOVERNMENT.

TURNING TO MR STEPHEN CHEONG'S QUESTION ON REDEMPTION OF OUTSTANDING LETTERS B, MR CHAN SAID IT WAS THE INTENTION TO CLEAR THIS COMMITMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND CERTAINLY BEFORE 1997.

AND TO MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG'S QUESTION ABOUT THE POSITION OF THOSE WHO HAD BOUGHT LAND HELD BY OR GRANTED TO INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS, HE SAID: I CAN CONFIRM THAT HIS CONCLUSION IS CORRECT, THAT IS RENT WILL ONLY REMAIN UNCHANGED WHERE A LOT CONTINUES TO BE HELD BY THE ORIGINAL INDIGENOUS OWNER OR HIS SUCCESSORS THROUGH THE MALE LINE.+

FEARS, WORRIES RESPONSIBLY REFLECTED, LOBO SAYS

*****

WINDING UP THE MOTION ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, THE HON ROGER LOBO SAID MANY OF HIS COLLEAGUES HAD SPOKEN OF THEIR UNCERTAINT ABOUT THE FUTURE AND HE WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO SUMMARISE THE WIDE-RANGING AND DIVERSE VIEWS HEARD.

+OF COURSE, THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE NO COMMON POSITION NOR PLATFORM- WE PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROCEEDINGS AS INDIVIDUALS, DRAWN FROM A WIDE SPECTRUM OF SOCIETY, AND THE VIEWS WE EXPRESS ARE OUR OWN IN FURTHERANCE OF HOW WE, INDIVIDUALLY, PERCEIVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST, + MR LOBO SAID.

+ I BELIEVE THIS DEBATE HAS RESPONSIBLY REFLECTED THE RESERVATIONS, FEARS AND WORRIES WHICH TROUBLE MANY HONG KONG PEOPLE ABOUT THE FUTURE.

→NO DOUBT THEY WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BOTH BY THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE HERE IN HONG KONG AND PARLIAMENT IN THE U..+

MR LOBO