1967 — Page 114

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Page 114 of 259

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(2) MR. Woo PO-SHING moved the following motion:-

That resettlement should be given, if needed, to the depend- ants of persons killed and to persons incapacitated and their dependants, as a result of injuries received during the dis- turbances while going about their normal occupation.

He said: Mr. Chairman, we, the Reform Club, are not perhaps well known in praising the government for its good work. This is not to say that we have not done so before but whatever commendation or support we have given to the government have been obscured by our constructive criticism of government and its policies in order to achieve one of the objects of my association which is "To do everything possible by constructive criticism to bring about improvement in the machinery of the Government of Hong Kong and to aim always at increasing the real prestige of the government". We are aware of the importance of giving credit when credit is due. We are aware of the need for encouragement, support and co-operation we must give to government from time to time, that is why we have taken the earliest opportunity to express our support in the government's policy to maintain and restore law and order and acclaim the government's decision to take the initiative in the present disturbances. We are therefore, delighted and wish to take this opportunity to commend government on its decision to form a Compensation Board on the 4th August last. It does not matter whether the decision was made in response to the Reform Club's press release dated the 20th July, 1967. What really matters is that the government has shown its appreciation to the man in the street who goes about his ordinary business despite the hardship imposed on him by the very few; thus enabling the general life of the community to continue. Every citizen of Hong Kong has his part to play. Perhaps, during the present disturbances heavier burden is placed on the Police, Civil Servants and workers of essential services, many of whom

CHAIRMAN: -Mr. Woo, I notice you have just turned a page in your speech and you have not, as yet, mentioned resettlement which is the subject of the Motion.

MR. WOO:-I am coming to the point. What I want to introduce is the resettlement of ordinary people.

CHAIRMAN: As soon as possible, please.

Mr. Woo continued:

essential services many of whom have really risen to the occasion. It is hoped that they will not be forgotten when the present trouble is over. However, in paying tribute to these people, we must not lose sight of the fact that the strength of Hong Kong lies in the ordinary people of Hong Kong. Everyone of us will work harder to ensure that Hong Kong is and will be a stable

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and prosperous society. In this respect, we must rely on the morale and confidence of the ordinary people on whom the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong depends and in whom I have complete faith that they will play their part. Admittedly, there are many ways in which to build up and maintain the morale and confidence of the ordinary people and the motion standing in my name is one of them. In my opinion, in resettling the dependants of persons killed and the person incapacitated and their dependants as a result of injuries received during the disturbances we are merely doing our part to show our interest in the welfare of the ordinary people and hope that this will help to establish a community goodwill.

Lastly, I like to quote the words of the Acting Colonial Secretary at the Legislative Council Meeting on the 2nd August last: "I can now say that shortly before he went on leave His Excellency the Governor instructed all Heads of departments to re-assess their priorities, to ensure that the work of Departments took proper account of the present situa- tion and further, in re-examining their duties, to place prime importance on their contact with the public at large."

MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, it gives me great pleasure to second this Motion. Resettlement originally sprang up not for persons in housing need necessarily, but for persons occupying Crown Land, either as Crown permittees or just as squatters the land being needed to be put to a better purpose. Actually, the very large majority of Resettlement these persons resettled are persons in housing need. started off by being not Government controlled, but private contractors being offered contracts to build bungalows which the person evicted from Crown Land could buy at various prices, I think starting from the smallest at $1,600.00. Only on this being found to be unworkable and leading to various corrupt practices, did Government, on the recom- mendations of this Council, enter into the Resettlement schemes by way of multi-storey buildings which is Resettlement today.

With this brief review of resettlement it could not be more appro- priate than for this Council who was responsible for Government Resettlement, to recommend that it be given, if needed, to the depend- ants of persons killed or persons incapacitated and their dependants, as a result of injuries received during the disturbances while going about their normal occupation. Hong Kong has to be grateful to the citizens who carry on as usual the life of this community, Hong Kong is weather- ing these disturbances because of the courage and tenacity of its citizens. The least that Government can do therefore is to offer resettlement to persons and dependants injured or killed by these disturbances if needed.

This is a concrete act on our part and on Government's part to show their appreciation of the way in which the average citizen is reacting to the present situation and I for one suggest that it be put at the top of the priority for Resettlement list.