TNAG-0806-FCO40-1011-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-land-in-the-New-Territo-1979 — Page 49

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private land that the commitment can be reduced. In the

final analysis, when all the towns are fully developed,

the commitment should be eliminated, but in the meanwhile

Government's failure to provide land for exchange is the

subject of frequent criticism.

10.

Another criticism of Government policy is that

This

owners of private land which is capable of in-situ development

should be permitted to develop on payment of premium. This

is not permitted: the exchange system puts all landowners

on an equal footing; owners whose land is required for a

public purpose thus have an equal chance for an exchange

as those whose land is zoned for private development.

is fair and treats all alike; a departure from this

principle would further delay the chance for an exchange

of those whose land was not capable of in-situ development.

As noted above, in 1973 a cash system replaced

the exchange system in Kowloon. Attempts have been made

in the New Territories to produce a cash alternative to

exchange by ex-gratia cash offers, first of 10 and more

recently of 17, as an alternative to landowners. This

11.

ex-gratia offer reflected the value that the exchange

system had imparted to agricultural land. However by an

inexorable process the ex-gratia cash offer itself further

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