TNAG-0856-FCO40-1066-Construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 225

CRS 800

CONFIDENTIAL

1 FCO 261734Z JUL 73

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1. MINISTER OF STATE SAW MR ROBERT PARRY MP, HR STAN NOTENG MP, MR MARTIN FLANNERY MP AND MR HARRY COWANS MP AT THEIR REQUEST THIS MORNING.

2. THEY MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

(A) THEY HOPED THAT THE EVICTIONS WHICH THEY HAD BEEN TOLD WOULD TAKE PLACE ON 31 JULY, WOULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL A FAIR SOLUTION

COULD BE FOUND:

(3) HONG KONG LEGISLATION NEEDS TO BE AMENDED TO PROVIDE A SYSTEM

OF LAND ACQUISITION WHICH IS FAIR AND JUST:

(C) THERE SHOULD BE A FAIR AND INDEPENDENT LANDS TRIBUNAL.

(D) HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD OFFER TO OWNER-OCCUPTERS SIMILAR

FLATS FOR PURCHASE AT 1978 PRICES.

3. IN REPLY MR BLAKER SAID HE WOULD CONSIDER THE POINTS THAT HAD

SEEN MADE AND REPLY IN DUE COURSE, HE ADDED THAT:

(4) ANY RESIDENTS STILL LIVING IN THEIR PREMISES ON 31 JULY WOULD

NOT BE EVICTED:

(B) THE DIFFICULTY WAS THAT THE RATE OF COMPENSATION PAYABLE WAS

LAID DOWN BY ORDINANCE, IT WOULD BE A DIFFICULT PRECEDENT TO INTRO-

DUCE AMENDING LEGISLATION WITH RETROSPECTIVE EFFECT:

(C) NO MEMBER OF THE LANDS TRIBUNAL HAD AN INTEREST IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEPOT:

(D) COMPENSATION AND ALLOWANCES OFFERED TO THERESIDENTS WERE GENEROUS

4. AT MR COWANS'S REQUEST, MR BLAKER UNDERTOOK TO PROVIDE THE MPS

WITH DETAILS OF THE COMPENSATION AND ALLOWANCES THAT HAD DEEN

OFFERED AND THE CRITERIA GOVERNING ELIGIBILITY FOR THEM. YOU

MENTIONED THESE IN YOUR TELNO 649 BUT WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF

YOU WOULD LET US HAVE FULL DETAILS DESKBY 3109002

CARRINGTON

FILES FK & GD

PS/MR BLAKER MR CORTAZZI

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE,

LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL

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