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DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I apologise if I give a very vague answer to that question. We have plans in the Department, which were produced last year, showing eight stages for completing this Yau Ma Tei Community Centre, the first stage being the one now under construction, which is the Post Office. It is phased almost year by year, that is, one would tend to finish one part before the next part, and so on. The scheme is, I now think rather too complex, but we are trying to simplify it, and I hope that within a very few months, if not weeks, rough plans will be available for consideration by the Urban Amenities Select Committee or the City Hall Select Committee.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-And, Sir, by that time presume that whatever financial obstacles are in the way would have been resolved?
CHAIRMAN: - Sir, I think you are introducing new matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I beg your pardon, Sir. I was taking the words of the Director of Public Works where he left off in his first reply.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
(a) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please advise how many squatters were resettled during the fiscal year 1st April, 1962-31st March, 1963 (excluding transferees from resettlement cottage areas who are already part of the resettlement population)?
(b) What are the main reasons for Government being unable to reach the 100,000 target by such a wide margin?
(c) What steps are being taken by Government to ensure that for the 1963-1964 period a minimum target of 100,000 will be achieved?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
This question concerns the pace of Resettlement. During the financial year 1962-63 the population of the Estates increased by 85,057, of whom 13,574 were transferees from Cottage Areas, a net increase in settlers of 71,483. During the year 32 Mark II "H" blocks and 2 Mark II “I” blocks were completed. Blocks M (an “I” block) at Chai Wan, G and H at Tai Wo Hau, Z, AA, K and M at Wang Tau Hom and X and U at Lo Fu Ngam with overall accommodation for 21,000, which should have been completed in the previous financial year, were in fact taken over in the second half of April.
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The number of vacant rooms as at 31st March, 1963, just about balanced those vacant 12 months previously. But for unfortunate delays, the target might thus have been reached without difficulty.
The main reasons for delay were setbacks caused by the aftermath of Typhoon Wanda, a contractor's shed fire on the 25th January, 1963 at Wang Tau Hom, which destroyed much concreting equipment and difficulties in the building trade caused by a shortage of skilled labour arising from the general building boom. In a reply which I gave to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN in this Council on the 8th January of this year I emphasized that unanticipated snags, which would produce just such a result, could easily arise.
As regards the target figure of 100,000, this has always been taken to indicate the number of additional places in the Estates without regard for the Cottage Areas. It matters little whether persons are moved from squatter areas, old tenements or Cottage Areas and I would stress that the Ho Man Tin Cottage Area clearance sites will be used for high density housing and will thus benefit far more people than have been accommodated heretofore in the cottages.
With regard to the last part of your question, Members will be aware of the recent decision to develop sites more fully by rising to 16 storeys. I understand that my friend the Director of Public Works will be dealing with this subject in detail in his reply to the comments of Members at the Annual Conventional Debate and I suggest that I leave the explanation to him.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, from the reply given by the Commissioner I gather that the net increase in our resettlement population over the previous financial year was exactly 71,483. Bearing in mind from past experience that there are anticipated snags every year, would it be possible for Government to anticipate next year that there will also be snags, and thus make provision for that?
CHAIRMAN: - "Contingencies" is a word well-known in the Public Works Department. I understand that Mr. WRIGHT now has sufficient sites available to reach the target figure of 100,000 persons resettled per year. He may well try and aim slightly higher.
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Page 44 of 194
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I apologise if I give a very vague answer to that question. We have plans in the Department, which were produced last year, showing eight stages for completing this Yau Ma Tei Community Centre, the first stage being the one now under construction, which is the Post Office. It is phased almost year by year, that is, one would tend to finish one part before the next part, and so on. The scheme is, I now think rather too complex, but we are trying to sim- plify it, and I hope that within a very few months, if not weeks, rough plans will be available for consideration by the Urban Amenities Select Committee or the City Hall Select Committee.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-And, Sir, by that time
presume that what- ever financial obstacles are in the way would have been resolved?
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I think you are introducing new matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I beg your pardon, Sir. I was taking the words of the Director of Public Works where he left off in his first reply.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
(a) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please advise how many squatters were resettled during the fiscal year 1st April, 1962-31st March, 1963 (excluding transferees from resettlement cottage areas who are already part of the resettlement population)?
(b) What are the main reasons for Government being unable
to reach the 100,000 target by such a wide margin?
(c) What steps are being taken by Government to ensure that for the 1963-1964 period a minimum target of 100,000 will be achieved?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
This question concerns the pace of Resettlement. During the financial year 1962-63 the population of the Estates in- creased by 85,057, of whom 13,574 were transferees from Cottage Areas, a net increase in settlers of 71,483. During the year 32 Mark II "H" blocks and 2 Mark II “I” blocks were completed. Blocks M (an “I” block) at Chai Wan, G and H at Tai Wo Hau, Z, AA, K and M at Wang Tau Hom and X and U at Lo Fu Ngam with overall
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accommodation for 21,000, which should have been com- pleted in the previous financial year, were in fact taken over in the second half of April. The number of vacant rooms as at 31st March, 1963, just about balanced those vacant 12 months previously. But for unfortunate delays, the target might thus have been reached without difficulty.
The main reasons for delay were setbacks caused by the after- math of Typhoon Wanda, a contractor's shed fire on the 25th January, 1963 at Wang Tau Hom, which destroyed much concreting equipment and difficulties in the building trade caused by a shortage of skilled labour arising from the general building boom. In a reply which I gave to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN in this Council on the 8th January of this year I emphasized that unanticipated snags, which would produce just such a result, could easily arise.
As regards the target figure of 100,000, this has always been taken to indicate the number of additional places in the Estates without regard for the Cottage Areas. It matters little whether persons are moved from squatter areas, old tenements or Cottage Areas and I would stress that the Ho Man Tin Cottage Area clearance sites will be used for high density housing and will thus benefit far more people than have been accommodated heretofore in the cottages.
With regard to the last part of your question, Members will be aware of the recent decision to develop sites more fully by rising to 16 storeys. I understand that my friend the Director of Public Works will be dealing with this subject in detail in his reply to the comments of Members at the Annual Conventional Debate and I suggest that I leave the explanation to him.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, from the reply given by the Commissioner I gather that the net increase in our resettlement popula- tion over the previous financial year was exactly 71,483. Bearing in mind from past experience that there are anticipated snags every year, would it be possible for Government to anticipate next year that there will also be snags, and thus make provision for that?
CHAIRMAN: -"Contingencies" is a word well-known in the Public Works Department. I understand that Mr. WRIGHT now has sufficient sites available to reach the target figure of 100,000 persons resettled per year. He may well try and aim slightly higher.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.