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together with other relevant information such as the room number, the number of adults in the family, and the size of room being occupied are stated on the notice for the reference of those unsuccessful applicants who may wish to make a comparison. For obvious reasons the name of the successful applicant is not advertised.
In answer to (c), Ward Councillors are, as was agreed by the Resettlement Management Select Committee at its meeting on 14th January, already supplied with copies of both the notice advertising the vacant rooms and the results of allocation of vacant rooms for all estates in their wards. These notices are, of course, only in Chinese. Should any member so wish, the Commissioner for Resettlement will arrange for English translations to be supplied in the future.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I don't mind the notices coming in Chinese. The point is, may I ask why the notices are just not coming? We are getting some from Wang Tau Hom and some from Lo Fu Ngam, not a proper supply, but there are some complaints from my Ward about estates from which notices have never come. Can the Commissioner explain that?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, if I have the details I will certainly look into that.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, I don't mind if Mr. Hu answers the question or the Commissioner for Resettlement, but I can't myself see the obvious reasons that the name of the successful applicant is not advertised. By advertising, presumably Mr. Hu means put on the notice board. Does it mean, in fact, that the Department think that if the name was so put that other tenants would somehow or other take it out on the successful applicant? I don't think that is at all possible myself.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- The notices are put in this kind of form, Sir. If Council wishes that the individual name should be published, that can certainly be looked into.
MR. BERNACCHI:- I think, perhaps, this could be referred to the Resettlement Management Select Committee.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- With pleasure, Sir.
(3) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:
Applicants are frequently told that they are "eligible for decantation" at densities of about 20 square feet, when in fact the real density in such estates before decantation is granted is less than 15 square feet. Could the real figures be given, so that tenants will not feel cheated?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RESETTLEMENT MANAGEMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
Appendix I
Mr. Chairman, the current qualifying densities for each estate as agreed by the Resettlement Management Select Committee on 15th June are given in the attached table. These qualifying densities are adjustable according to the situation of supply and demand obtaining at each estate. The number of families eligible to apply as in May 1970 were given to Members in Committee Paper RM/49/70. This situation has since improved slightly.
While it is true that vacant rooms are usually allocated to families more overcrowded than the qualifying density, there are in each estate many overcrowded families who are unwilling to apply for vacant rooms owing to their location. Families who are a little less overcrowded should therefore be given the chance to apply. Even so, some 200 rooms in the old estates remain unfilled each month.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, would it not be possible, when a room is advertised, to give some idea of the likely density that is going to get the room, because people are told by the officers that if you've got 19 sq. ft., why don't you apply for a room, when in fact the officer must know perfectly well that it's going to go to somebody with 15 sq. ft.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- That could be looked into, Mr. Chairman.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- And, Mr. Chairman, can we know the reason why the 200 rooms in the old estates remain unfilled. Is there something wrong with them?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, I think that it was supplied in the answer. Some people do not apply for the rooms because of their location.
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, in determining eligibility for decantation, can this Council be assured by you or the Commissioner for Resettlement, more particularly, as the column is headed sq. ft. per adult, that children are not discriminated against?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, I am not in a position to give this assurance.
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together with other relevant information such as the room number, the number of adults in the family, and the size of room being occupied are stated on the notice for the reference of those unsuccessful applicants who may wish to make a comparison. For obvious reasons the name of the successful applicant is not advertised.
In answer to (c), Ward Councillors are, as was agreed by the Resettlement Management Select Committee at its meet- ing on 14th January, already supplied with copies of both the notice advertising the vacant rooms and the results of allocation of vacant rooms for all estates in their wards. These notices are, of course, only in Chinese. Should any member so wish, the Commissioner for Resettlement will arrange for English translations to be supplied in the future.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I don't mind the notices coming in Chinese. The point is, may I ask why the notices are just not coming? We are getting some from Wang Tau Hom and some from Lo Fu Ngam, not a proper supply, but there are some complaints from my Ward about estates from which notices have never come. Can the Commissioner explain that?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -Mr. Chairman, if I have the details I will certainly look into that.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I don't mind if Mr. Hu answers the question or the Commissioner for Resettlement, but I can't myself see the obvious reasons that the name of the successful applicant is not advertised. By advertising, presumably Mr. Hu means put on the notice board. Does it mean, in fact, that the Department think that if the name was so put that other tenants would somehow or other take it out on the successful applicant? I don't think that is at all possible myself.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-The notices are put in this kind of form, Sir. If Council wishes that the individual name should be published, that can certainly be looked into.
MR. BERNACCHI:-I think, perhaps, this could be referred to the Resettlement Management Select Committee.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -With pleasure, Sir.
(3) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:
Applicants are frequently told that they are "eligible for decantation" at densities of about 20 square feet, when in
fact the real density in such estates before decantation is granted is less than 15 square feet. Could the real figures be given, so that tenants will not feel cheated?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RESETTLEMENT MANAGE- MENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
Appendix I
Mr. Chairman, the current qualifying densities for each estate as agreed by the Resettlement Management Select Com- mittee on 15th June are given in the attached table. These qualifying densities are adjustable according to the situation of supply and demand obtaining at each estate. The number of families eligible to apply as in May 1970 were given to Members in Committee Paper RM/49/70. This situation has since improved slightly.
While it is true that vacant rooms are usually allocated to families more overcrowded than the qualifying density, there are in each estate many overcrowded families who are unwilling to apply for vacant rooms owing to their location. Families who are a little less overcrowded should therefore be given the chance to apply. Even so, some 200 rooms in the old estates remain unfilled each month.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, would it not be possible, when a room is advertised, to give some idea of the likely density that is going to get the room, because people are told by the officers that if you've got 19 sq. ft., why don't you apply for a room, when in fact the officer must know perfectly well that it's going to go to somebody with 15 sq. ft.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-That could be looked into, Mr. Chairman.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-And, Mr. Chairman, can we know the reason why the 200 rooms in the old estates remain unfilled. Is there something wrong with them?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Mr. Chairman, I think that it was supplied in the answer. Some people do not apply for the rooms because of their location.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, in determining eligibility for decanta- tion, can this Council be assured by you or the Commissioner for Resettlement, more particularly, as the column is headed sq. ft. per adult, that children are not discriminated against?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--Mr. Chairman, I am not in a position to give this assurance.
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