Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1970-1971 — Page 42

A balcony around each floor gives access to all units and there are communal latrines and bathrooms. The rooftops of some buildings are used for drying purposes. A plan of a three-unit bay, seven-storey factory block is at Appendix 14 and rents are described in Chapter 9.

79. The minimum area which may be allocated to any one concern is one unit of 198 or 256 square feet, and the maximum is approx- imately 5,000 square feet-twenty-five units in the old and twenty in the new factories. The latter figures reflects one of the limitations which operate when clearing factories and workshops into resettlement accom- modation. This is because a squatter factory that exceeds 5,000 square feet of covered enclosed working space is not eligible for resettlement as it is considered that a business of that size should find its own alternative accommodation. The second limitation is that certain trades are excluded. Operators of these trades are not debarred from resettle- ment, but are required to change their trade to one approved by the department as suitable for a multi-storey building.

80. Though a higher rent is charged for ground floor factory units, their ease of access makes them more popular than those on upper floors. Trades that require the heaviest floor loading have priority for ground floor units. Floor loadings range from 300 lbs. a square foot on the ground floor and first two floors, to 120 lbs. on the fifth and sixth floors. Rents also vary by floors from 55 cents per square foot on the ground to 25 cents on the sixth floor.

81. After taking up accommodation in the factory, individual tenants have to provide their own partitions and front walls facing on to the verandah in conformity with standard designs prepared by the depart- ment. The internal layout adopted by the tenant requires the approval of the Labour and Fire Services Departments, and each concern has to make its own arrangements for the installation of water and electricity.

82. As a result of special efforts made during the year, the rent arrears situation has been very much improved. No factory tenants now owes more than the current month's rent. Progress has also been made in the recovery of charges in respect of moulded circuit breakers. These charges were levied to help to recover the cost of installing heavier electrical rising mains necessitated by the increased usage of electricity. However, during the course of court action against defaulting cases, an anomaly was discovered in the Resettlement Ordinance and it became necessary to amend this retrospectively. In three cases charges were

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