Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1954-1955 — Page 24

21. General control over resettlement policy was exercised by the Urban Council through three Select Committees. The Resettlement & Clearance (Policy) Select Committee, which was set up on 11th May, 1954, consisted of the Commissioner for Resettlement (Chairman), three official members, three appointed unofficial members and two elected unofficial members. Thirteen meetings were held during the remainder of the year under review: every major decision taken received the prior and unanimous approval of this Select Committee and every recom- mendation made by the committee was in due course accepted by the Government. A smaller Select Committee dealt with general matters concerning the administration of resettlement areas and when, towards the end of the year, the new multi- storey estates began to be occupied a third Select Committee was formed to deal with the special problems which these presented. All this machinery worked well. This was due in large measure to the industry, experience and understanding of the unofficial members, who were in the majority on all three committees. It had previously been suggested that the organization of the Urban Council did not fit it for the formulation of policy relating to emergency measures, but this was disproved by the events of the year under review. There were difficulties, delays and dis- appointments, but none of these was due to red tape or to the process of direction by committee.

22. The programme proposed for the year by the Select Committee dealing with policy was briefly as follows:

First, the resettlement of victims of the Shek Kip Mei fire should proceed as quickly as might be on the site of the fire, and should be allowed to interfere as little as possible with the rest of the department's work.

Second, the clearance of fire lanes should proceed simultane- ously and the Fire Brigade's main requirements in this respect should be met without fail by 1st October, 1954, this date being regarded as the opening of the fire season. If all fire lanes could not be driven through in

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