THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1935
6
47 TIN SHUI WAI STRUCTURES CLEARED
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A TOTAL OF 47 STRUCTURES WERE CLEARED TODAY (THURSDAY) IN THE THIRD PHASE CLEARANCE OF TIN SHUI WAI TO MAKE WAY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA.
MOST OF THE 19 AFFECTED FAMILIES, COMPRISING 60 PEOPLE, HAD ALREADY LEFT THE SITE WHEN GOVERNMENT WORKERS MOVED IN THIS MORNING. HOWEVER, THREE FAMILIES REMAINED ON SITE AND REFUSED TO LEAVE DESPITE REPEATED EFFORTS BY HOUSING AND DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF.
A FEW PEOPLE THREATENED THE POLICE AND SHOUTED ABUSE. AFTER REPEATED WARNINGS WERE IGNORED, POLICE TOOK A MAN AND TWO WOMEN TO YUEN LONG POLICE STATION FOR ENQUIRIES. FIVE CHILDREN WERE ALSO LED DOWN FROM THE ROOF OF THE HUT.
THE THREE, TOGETHER WITH A 16-YEAR-OLD BOY LED DOWN FROM THE ROOF, WERE LATER RELEASED ON $500 BAIL EACH. THE REST OF THE CHILDREN HAVE ALSO LEFT TOGETHER WITH THE GROUP.
NO-ONE WAS HURT AND THE CLEARANCE OPERATION CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
ALL THE AFFECTED FAMILIES HAVE BEEN OFFERED EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES OR COMPENSATION OF ABOUT $3 MILLION FOR CROPS, FISH PONDS, POULTRY AND PIGGERIES. ALL ELIGIBLE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED REHOUSING BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN URGED THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAVE NOT YET COLLECTED THEIR EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES TO DO SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FROM THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT OFFICE.
HE SAID THE CLEARANCE COULD NOT BE POSTPONED AS ANY FURTHER DELAY WOULD SERIOUSLY AFFECT THE TIN SHUI WAI NEW TOWN PROJECT.
HE ADDED THAT ADDITIONAL PLOTS OF LAND IN THE AREA WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEARED OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
THE NEW TOWN WILL PROVIDE HOMES FOR SOME 146 500 PEOPLE IN THE NEXT DECADE, WITH SOME 79 000 OF THEM IN PUBLIC HOUSING.
LORD MAYOR ENDS VISIT
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THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON, SIR ALAN TRAILL, AND LADY TRAILL LEFT FOR PEKING THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING AFTER A SIX-DAY VISIT IN HONG KONG.
THEY WERE SEEN OFF AT THE AIRPORT BY THE AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE GOVERNOR, MR PAUL COLLIER, AND THE SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER, MR CHRISTIAN ADAMS.
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