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the Resettlement Department to refer to a locality into which persons may move temporarily who are ineligible for resettlement but who have to vacate their present accommodation, whether the site is, for example, to be cleared by the Resettlement Department for development or is occupied by a building which has become uninhabit- able for any reason, such as a fire or house collapse. It will be apparent therefore that Government makes no attempt to provide facilities of the nature suggested other than latrines, and water supplies where feasible, and also that in view of the shortage of undeveloped Crown land available for this purpose, some of these sites must in- evitably be rather remote and inconvenient. As regards the future of these resite areas, I would remind Members that this comes within the terms of reference of the Work- ing Party on Resettlement and Low Cost Housing, and it would be inappropriate for me to anticipate the Working Party's recommendations or the Government's decision thereon.

With regard to the second part of the question, the Resettle- ment Department accumulates from time to time stocks of confiscated material which can be used for hut con- struction and this is distributed, as available, to the most needy families when resiting is taking place.

MR. BERNACCHI:-May I ask the Commissioner for Resettlement why he did not adopt the answer to Mrs. ELLIOTT's question suggested to him by the Working Party on Resettlement and Low Cost Housing?

CHAIRMAN: --Sir, I think I should answer that question. The ques- tion from Mrs. ELLIOTT was put to me as Chairman of the Urban Council and was accepted for the agenda on my responsibility. The fact that it was referred to the Working Party on Resettlement and Low Cost Housing was not a fact that came to my notice until later. In any case,

I am not a member of that Working Party, and its deliberations are confidential as far as I am concerned. I therefore, with the consent of my friend, the Commissioner for Resettlement, drew up this answer which is the one presented to Members of Council to-day.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Then may I ask the Commissioner for Resettle- ment, or indeed you yourself, Mr. Chairman, whether, in view of the appointment of such a Working Party, does he not think that his answer gives quite the wrong impression as to the probable future conditions in these resite areas?

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CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I do not agree that his answer gives any wrong impression, because he has deliberately tried to avoid giving any im- pression with regard to the future. He has answered the question as matters are at present.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Another supplementary. Is the Commissioner for Resettlement right in fact in saying that all occupants of resite areas are ineligible for resettlement?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Perhaps, Mr. Chairman, the word "ineligible" is too strong. It meant ineligible insofar as resettle- ment accommodation immediately available. There are some people in resite areas who will eventually be resettled.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you,

FOR

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask the Commissioner for Resettle- ment a question through you, Mr. Chainman? Are water supplies reasonably readily available to residents at present in resite areas?

COMMISSIONER

RESETTLEMENT: -Mr. Chairman, it is extremely difficult to say what is reasonable insofar as water supplies are concerned, especially in this time of great drought. Where possible we endeavour to arrange water supplies--that is all I can say. There are some areas on hillsides which are rather difficult to furnish with water supplies.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, by that I meant: in resite areas which are fairly new, and where the obtaining of water would be quite a hardship on the families living there, does the Department take steps to liaise with the Public Works Department to see that water pipes are placed fairly close to such resite areas.

COMMISSIONER for ResettlemENT:-The Department liaises with the Water Authority, if necessary.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I have noticed, Mr. Chairman, that recently there have been certain comments in the Chinese press on this particular subject. Perhaps the Commissioner for Resettlement would care to review the present situation at some of the newer resite areas to see whether there is a need for additional water pipes to be installed?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I can assure Mr. CHEONG- LEEN that the position is currently under review.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Thank you.

MR. CHEUNG WING-IN:-May I ask the Commissioner for Resettle. ment another supplementary question? I was quite perturbed to read from the Chinese paper last Sunday of another incident of a clash