XN000022-1988-05-24 — Page 12

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TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1988

MRS AGNES YEUNG AND MR LAU KWOK-YU, OF THE

CITY POLYTECHNIC'S DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL ADMINISTRATION, CONDUCTED THE STUDY FROM JANUARY TO MARCH THIS YEAR BY OBSERVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND CONDITIONS OF THE TARGET DUILDINGS, AND INTERVIEWING RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLDS IN THE TWO TARGETTED AREAS.

A REPORT, ENTITLED "EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF THE AGEING BUILDINGS IN MONG KOK DISTRICT" WAS SUBMITTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE AT ITS MEETING TODAY (TUESDAY).

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BESIDES THE OCCUPANTS' SURPRISINGLY HIGH LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH THE OLD BUILDINGS THEY ARE LIVING IN, THE SURVEY ALSO FOUND THAT HOUSEHOLD INCOME WERE COMPARATIVELY LOWER--AVERAGING $1,000 A MONTH COMPARED WITH $5,160 A MONTH IN THE TERRITORY GENERALLY.

THE PROPORTION OF AGED RESIDENTS WAS HIGHER, AT 20 PER CENT COMPARED WITH AN AVERAGE OF 11.6 PER CENT FOR THE WHOLE POPULATION.

THE REPORT RECOMMENDED FURTHER RESEARCH TO ВЕ CONDUCTED ΤΟ FIND OUT WHY THESE BUILDINGS ARE SO POPULAR WITH THEIR OCCUPANTS, DESPITE THEIR UNDERSTRABLE LIVING CONDITIONS.

THE REPORT POINTED OUT THAT WHILE THE FINDINGS COULD WELL REPRESENT THE CONDITIONS OF OLD BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1941 AND 1965 WITHIN THE TARGETTED AREAS, THEY MIGHT NOT REPRESENT THOSE CONSTRUCTED WITHIN THAT PERIOD IN THE WHOLE DISTRICT.

AMONG ITS OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, THE REPORT SUGGESTED A STEERING GROUP BE SET UP TO UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE PROBLEM.

A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE FORMED TO GIVE ADVICE то THE STEERING GROUP SO THAT THE SECOND STUDY COULD BE CONDUCTED MORE SMOOTHLY AND MORE COMPREHENSIVELY.

THE 'WORKING GROUP ON THE PROBLEMS OF AGEING BUILDINGS IN MONG KON DISTRICT" WAS SET UP LAST YEAR IN VIEW OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF EARLY POST-WAR BUILDINGS IN THE DISTRICT.

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