TNAG-0856-FCO40-1066-Construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 10

(36) in TC 30/78 AC/VC/79/27

Nr. Augustine 3. K. Chung, Room 1115, Hang Lung Centre, 11th floor, Paterson Street, TRONG KH

19th September, 1979

Bear Sir,

H.E. the Governor has asked me to reply on his behalf to your letter AC/UC/79/27 of 13th September about Sai Lau Kok. I am grateful for your interest in this case, for the time you have spent advising the people affected by the clearance and for your suggestions about how resumption procedures could be improved.

We discussed your letter in detail on Monday afternoon and I gave you additional figures detailing the compensation which has been paid and offered and also a list of prices for property now available in North Tsuen wan. I promised specifically to look into your point about absentee owners not receiving written guidelines on com- pensation until arch 1979. I have had a check made of the relevant files and I find that 12 letters were sent to all owners during the period 31st January, 1976 to 5th June, 1979, dealing with compensation and procedures. I have copies in my office which you are welcome to see if you wish. I am enclosing a copy of the Mass Transit Adviser's letter MT 7/63190/002 of the 9th September, 1978, which is particularly relevent and shows that all owners were fully informed of the position and that an offer to value all premises before the reversion date was made in September 1978. In addition to these general letters, a letter was sent to each owner dealing with his individual case and suggesting times for appointments to discuss the case, there there was no response the matter was followed up by telephone. A number of mast zeetings were also held to explain the position and these were attended by a large number of the owners. From mid-1978 surveys were made of all premises as soon as agreement could be obtained frm either the owners or the tenants or when the premises became vacant. Cffers were then made within 2 to 3 weeks of the survey being completed. I am satisfied that the absentee owners as well as the owner/occupiers had every opportunity of receiving an offer from Government before the date of reversion.

/So far