Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1954-1955 — Page 44

be developed with permanent multi-storey buildings. But at Ngau Tau Kok, beyond Kai Tak, the land is much less valuable and there are no immediate proposals for its permanent development. In order to supplement the other arrangements made for the rehousing of Shamshuipo fire victims, Government therefore authorized, in the spring of 1954, the construction of about 500 granite cottages in the Ngau Tau Kok resettlement area, each cottage to cost about $1,200 and to be let at $10 a month rent. It should be noted that granite, which has a high salvage value, was chosen and not sand brick which has virtually no salvage value. Ngau Tau Kok will undoubtedly be properly developed in due course and the theory is that the residual value of these materials will be available to be set off against the cost of whatever measures are necessary for the "re-resettlement" of the settlers when it becomes worth the community's while to put this area of Crown land to more permanent and intensive use.

52. Similarly at Tsun Wan, when measures were devised for resettling the 1,000 victims of the squatter fire which took place in March, 1954, it was not considered justifiable to put up permanent multi-storey buildings at the taxpayers' expense, since land in the New Territories is still comparatively plentiful and cheap. Instead a temporary resettlement area was opened at Tai Wo Hau, near the junction of the Castlepeak and Texaco Roads. This temporary resettlement area would be gradually extended for the resettlement of squatters who would otherwise seriously impede the construction of the Tai Lam Chung pipe- line and the general development of the growing town of Tsun Wan. But here again the area would undoubtedly be needed for proper development sooner or later, and only temporary construction was permitted. Most of the structures erected by the settlers were wooden huts with fire-proof roofs. The use of tarred felt, of which the roofs of most wooden squatter structures are made, was prohibited in all temporary resettle- ment areas. This tarred felt is probably the greatest single factor contributing to the spread of squatter fires, for it burns easily and persistently, and it breaks up and blows, still burning, with the wind.

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