TNAG-0330-FCO40-366-Visit-of-Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-of-State--Anthony-Roy-1972 — Page 43

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The

but this is not likely to be appreciated. proposed new small house policy (see below) will make small houses permanent in law as well as materials and thus bring entitlement to compen-

sation under the law.

Para. 4 The amendments referred to are those

relating to compensation discussed under para. 3 above. The Kuk is being quite reasonable in its approach to these problems but could

be encouraged to reach an early agreement with the District Commissioner so that the

lengthy process of getting policy agreed in Government, law drafted etc. can start.

4.

All these above problems are now being discusse between the Kuk and the New Territories Adminis-

tration with a view to improvement. The area of Hong Kong and Kowloon is limited and the develop- ment of industries and the population have reached a saturation point, so one has to look to the New Territories for future development. However, since Government has not worked out any fair solution to the problems it has brought to the New Territories as a result of development in the past, the people still have an unfavourable political feeling towards the Government. The Government nevertheless carries on with its plans for development in the New Territories thus creating further resentment among the people. We therefore ask the Hong Kong Government to speed up the amendment of the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance (Cap. 124) and also the amendment to the land policies, and to show concern for the justifiable rights of the Chinese residents in the New Territories.

/Para. 5