Estimates-1959 — Page 213

214

Housing Loans

DEVELOPMENT FUND

The Housing Authority's first scheme, the North Point Estate (Java Road Scheme) containing 1,955 flats to accommodate over 12,000 people, was completed in December, 1957, and is now occupied. The second scheme, at Cadogan Street, comprising 636 flats to house about 4,200 people, is now under construction, and the different sections should be completed before. the end of 1958. Site formation for the third scheme, the largest so far, at So Uk, Kowloon, will be finished in April, 1958, and it is hoped to commence construction soon after: it is unlikely that this estate, which will contain about 5,200 flats, accommodating over 32,000 people, will be completed until the end of 1959. A topographical survey of the site for the Authority's fourth scheme, at Clearwater Bay Road, Kowloon, is now being undertaken, and the allocation of further sites is being examined by Government.

The Hong Kong Housing Society now has seven schemes in hand. Of the earlier schemes, Hung Hom will be completed during 1958/59, Sheung Li Uk Extension has been completed, and at Healthy Village work is in progress on three blocks on the second site. Of the four new schemes, the one at Tsuen Wan will be completed during 1958/59. At Kun Tong work on site formation has commenced and a building contract has been let. It is expected that site formation work will commence shortly at Shu Kuk Street and at Shaukiwan.

Housing Co-operatives

At the end of 1952, Government commenced to make funds available to local officers on the pensionable establishment for financing the construction of flats. Land was made available by private treaty at half the upset price to officers who were prepared to form themselves into housing co-operatives, who were then advanced the building costs on easy terms.

During 1957/58 two more of these schemes were completed the Sanitarian C.B.S. and the Cornwall Street C.B.S. Some 65 new co-operatives were formed during 1957/58 and loans totalling $32,167,500 have been promised to them. The new schemes range from blocks containing 100 flats to smaller units containing 10 flats.

Reclamations

Progress on the reclamation at Kun Tong Stages I and II continues satisfactorily and of the total of 108 factory sites which will eventually became available, 86 have been completed and sold by public auction.

Filling for the reclamation has been obtained from the adjoining hills and as a result an additional 63 acres will ultimately be formed in the hills and be used for housing

At the end of 1957/58, 23 acres had been so formed.

zones.

PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME

Appendix II reproduces the Appendix to the Report of the Subcommittee of Finance Committee with certain exceptions explained under the Public Works Non-Recurrent (Head 31) section of this Memorandum. Further explanatory details will be found in the Subcommittee's Report.

LOCAL LOANS FUND

At Appendix III is a statement of approved loans chargeable against the Local Loans Fund which was created to facilitate the accounting arrangements for interest-free loans to educational bodies in the Colony.