Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1960-1961 — Page 7

4. Authority to demolish 'unlawful structures' derives from the Resettlement Ordinance under which the term is widely defined to include any unauthorized building on Crown Land or on land held on lease or permit from the Crown, and also any cave or tunnel which is occupied without authority. In October 1954 an aerial survey was made of squatter huts in the urban areas and no action is taken against structures built before the time of the survey, which are known as 'tolerated' structures. Structures on tenement and factory rooftops were not surveyed until November 1956 and any such structures built before this survey are also 'tolerated'. Structures built after these two surveys are regarded as ‘new'.

5. When an Area Officer finds a new structure or extension he tries to persuade the owner to demolish it voluntarily. If the owner refuses, the Area Officer demolishes the structure a few days later with the help of a team of labourers; all the materials are then confiscated and used to assist in the rebuilding of authorized structures damaged or destroyed by natural disasters. A record is kept of all structures and extensions demolished, which during the year amounted to a total of 10,394, 1,089 of these being rooftop structures. 267,060 pounds of wood and 45,884 pounds of tin sheeting were confiscated.

6. In November 1959 a survey was completed in which all tolerated structures were numbered and their measurements recorded, thus making it easier to check doubtful cases. It also serves as a deterrent to new building, for the squatter knows that he has less chance of escaping detection. In October 1960 the number of tolerated domestic squatter huts was recounted and found to total 51,236, of which 12,003 were rooftop huts.

7. The Squatter Control Division is divided into four sections, three of which deal with Kowloon and the fourth with Hong Kong Island. Each section is under the charge of an Assistant Resettlement Officer, who supervises the Area Officers and must also personally approve the demolition of any structure which is on land held on lease or permit from the Crown. All doubtful cases are referred to the Land Bailiff at Headquarters, who is in charge of the whole division. The Land Bailiff makes quarterly helicopter flights over squatter areas to check by photo- graphs and personal observation that no new structures escape detection by the ground patrols.

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