TNAG-1734-FCO40-2447-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 187

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the new towns?

If that is the

case,

what is the

Government's policy to encourage

jobs in the new towns?

industrialists to create

SE CRE TARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS:

Sir, I am sure that land

it is only one of a number of

cost must be a factor but it

factors which will determine whether or not a developer is

going to buy land or rent land to create jobs, either

industrial or commercial.

other factors;

·

But there are, of course,

availability of labour of the right sort

the

at the right price must be a factor; the traditional

links that an industry or trade may have with the urban

area would be another factor, because people may not wish

to move to the new towns if that does not happen to suit

their particular business. And, of course,

availability of labour

labour and labour costs must also be a

consideration.

So, here again it is not really

something over which we can have a great deal of

control. I have already stated in an earlier answer that

. the land for commercial

commercial and industrial development which

is a pre-requisite for the creation of jobs is at market

value. If we were to deliberately embark on a policy of

letting out or disposing of land cheaply I am not

including now the

Industrial Estates Corporation because

that is a special case

-

but if we were, I think that this

would have a very great effect on the market generally and

would be undesirable.