TNAG-0317-FCO40-353-Policy-of-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-problem-of-s-1971 — Page 64

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

39

operation between the Resettlement Department and the Housing Authority, which is ourselves under a different cloak, and such is duly inserted into our aims and logics. The time has come for some positive action to be taken, not just the exchange of a very limited number of staff.

Lastly, but by no means leastly, in my opinion, the Housing Board needs to be re-examined. I personally think that with the experience we have had with the present Housing Board there is too much duplica- tion and the Housing Authority and Resettlement are in effect under the Urban Council and the Housing Authority manages low-cost housing. The management therefore of all public housing is in fact under the Urban Council and we have also recommended that the Housing Authority, that is to say, the Urban Council be given an active part to play in slum clearance, even in the pilot scheme stage and for the life of me I do not see why we should be dictated to by a Housing Board composed now mainly of non Urban Councillors largely not having present day to day experience on the ground whereas a high-powered Policy Select Committee of this Council could and should do all that the Housing Board does at present and very much quicker. Such a highly powered Policy Select Committee from the Urban Council could be given terms of reference which include review- ing policies for resettlement and squatter control even without the necessity to have a Government appointed Working Party again, say, in six or seven years time. Certainly if the Housing Board is continued it should co-operate with the Urban Council very much more than it did in the past and for that purpose should by constitution have representation from the Urban Council on the Board. But I do say that the Housing Board is purely duplicating work which can and should be done by a Select Committee of the Urban Council. I would like to see in the end the Urban Council be given Colony wide powers in certain aspects of our Government like housing. The abolition of the Housing Authority itself and the placing of all public housing under the Urban Council instead of this farcical weak set up of two separate bodies which must be by constitution predominantly, if not exclusively, be composed of the same people. For all these reasons, I urge Mem- bers, Mr. Chairman, to vote in favour of this Motion. There is a pressing need for a Working Party to consider the view of policies given in the 1964 White Paper, also to examine the management of resettlement estates generally, I say with no holds barred. Mr. Chair- man, I am therefore happy to second this Motion.

CHAIRMAN:-The Motion has been moved and seconded. Does any Member wish to speak?

MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Motion. Judging from the number of questions put by Members today it would be sufficient to indicate the importance of the question of resettlement in