1964 — Page 202

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Page 202 of 312

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. B. A. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this motion. I consider that it is not in the best interests for the future of this Council that anyone should indulge in this type of motion, particularly at a time when we have such a lot of other business to get through. Surely, it cannot be unknown to the proposer of this motion that the Resettlement Department and the Resettlement Policy Select Committee of this Council are already acting on the White Paper, and legislation, if required at all, is a mere formality that can be enacted this year, next year or the year after, without in any way affecting the programme laid down in the White Paper that was adopted by a motion passed in the Legislative Council. In fact, Mr. Chairman, this Council is not completely in favour of the White Paper. This Urban Council was in favour of a scheme that goes to the root of the housing problem and was approved by the majority of the Working Party, namely, to offer resettlement or low-cost housing or Housing Authority accom- modation to the tenants evicted from exemption order buildings accord- ing to their means. Now that this essential recommendation has been blissfully turned down, the only alternative to the housing problem, not of squatters but of persons whose houses are pulled down literally about their ears, is a scheme of re-development of old houses, block by block, with accommodation being offered in the adjoining block for the tenants in the next block of the old building before the next block is pulled down. This means considerable Government control over land, but it has been exercised in England both under the Con- servative and Labour Governments for many years. The Reform Club members refrained from voting on a previous motion proposed by the proposer of this motion, although it was my submission that that motion was misconceived. The Reform Club elected members are not going to be so timorous again. This motion is tantamount to a motion that this Council adopts the White Paper recommendations which we do not accept, although we must note the policy and priorities laid down in the White Paper in our resettlement programme.

The Reform Club in fact urges Government to call a halt to exclusion orders in general until they find a satisfactory method of rehousing the tenants evicted therefrom or to reconsider the recommenda- tions of the Working Party and adopt the recommendations concerning tenants from exclusion order buildings accordingly.

I accuse Government of bowing to the landlords in general and to a large number of speculators in particular. This is too high a price to pay for the re-building of Hong Kong and we cannot have more eviction of tenants without Government providing suitable alternative accommodation for them with rentals within their means.

For these reasons, I beg, Mr. Chairman, to oppose.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Mr. Chairman, my inter- vention will be brief. In moving the acceptance of the White Paper as a general guide to future policy, the Colonial Secretary said in Legislative Council on 16th September last that "the amendments to the Resettlement Ordinance and Regulations are under urgent considera- tion". Drafting instructions have recently been agreed in consultations carried on between my Department, the Colonial Secretariat and the Legal Department which have all played their parts with all possible speed. Until these instructions were agreed, drafting could clearly not proceed. Now that the Legal Department has the instructions, Crown Counsel is engaged in drafting the legislation. Mr. CHEONG-LEEN has misrepresented the position in two respects: first in assuming that any unavoidable delay has occurred or will occur, and secondly in attributing non-existent delay to the Legal Department.

This motion, therefore, is rather like waving on a motorist who already has the green light. I would be happy to support it if Mr. CHEONG-LEEN and Mr. CHEUNG Wing-in will accept an amended version, whereby the first twelve words be omitted and replaced by the follow- ing: "This Council supports Government's intention to enact as quickly as possible the . . . .' The motion therefore now reads:-

**

This Council supports Government's intention to enact as quickly as possible the legislation arising out of the recommendations in the White Paper on Squatter Control, Resettlement and Government Low-Cost Housing.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I would like to second the amended motion put forward by the Commissioner for Resettlement.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Could that be read out again, Mr. Chairman?

CHAIRMAN:-The amended motion proposed is:-

This Council supports Government's intention to enact as quickly as possible the legislation arising out of the recommendations in the White Paper on Squatter Con- trol, Resettlement and Government Low-Cost Housing.

MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak on the amendment to the motion which was put forward originally by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, seconded by Mr. CHEUNG Wing-in. I was very greatly encouraged to hear Mr. BERNACCHI slowly but surely coming round to my point of view: that the White Paper does not go far enough in solving the housing problem; that the White Paper declines to accept an obligation which I pointed out very clearly to the Working Party that people who are victims of Hong Kong's prosperity should not be allowed to suffer in consequence of legislation introduced by Govern-