TNAG-0317-FCO40-353-Policy-of-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-problem-of-s-1971 — Page 65

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Members' minds. Such phenomenon, in my view, is only natural because there are nearly one-third of Hong Kong's population who are now living in resettlement housing including cottage areas. I have said, Mr. Chairman, many times before that I am in favour of immediate direct resettlement instead of placing people in the licensed area which, I say, should be abolished. I also advocate, Mr. Chairman, that boat people should be resettled as people in the land where their land needs to be redeveloped. Again, having read the White Paper of 1964, little was said about resettlement management. I hope that the question of management should be more fully explored if there is any appointment of Working Party to look into the White Paper of 1964. Mr. Chairman, with this short remark, I support the Motion.

CHAIRMAN: -No one else wishes to speak?

MR. SALES: -I am waiting for the Commissioner for Resettlement to speak.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Sir, I rise to speak on the motion before this Council. In so doing, may I remind Members that the motion implies that the Working Party, if appointed, should not only review the policies laid down in the 1964 White Paper, but should also examine the management of resettlement estates. I am going to speak mainly on the second part of the motion.

The management of resettlement estates in the urban area, which accounts for 19 out of 23 estates housing nearly a quarter of our total population, has always been entrusted to this Council. Ever since the first resettlement estate was occupied, the management policies and practices have constantly been under close scrutiny by this Council through the following methods:

(a) by questions and answers across this table, and by supple-

mentary questions and answers;

(b) by reams and reams of committee papers presented to the

Committees of this Council;

(c) by spending countless hours of Members' time in deliberating

over them; and

(d) by the voluminous correspondence originating from Members' ward offices which has, in turn, attracted a greater number of letters in response.

Sir, if all this does not amount to something which I might humbly describe as "microscopic examination", then I would be at a loss to interpret it in any other way.

By Gazette Notification No. 1032 of 1st August 1958, the Governor appointed this Council to be the sole competent authority, not only for

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