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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(a) that they be allowed to improve their structures by

rebuilding them higher;

(b) that they be allowed to lay pavements between the

houses to improve sanitation;

(c) that water hydrants be installed in each lane to avoid

queuing up for water.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-

I take it that Mrs. ELLIOTT's question refers to certain requests made by the licensees in the 1st Village at Kowloon Bay which was the subject of her ward office letter of 30th November, 1970. If so, I am to state

(a) that the area concerned is a Class II Licensed Area set aside in accordance with Section 50A(1) for the purpose of Part VA of the Resettlement Ordinance, Cap. 304;

(b) that heightening of structures in licensed areas above the present limit of 8 feet cannot be permitted, since it has been found from experience that, if a greater height is allowed, some occupants will build cocklofts and sublet them, which leads to unacceptable conges- tion. It would also expose the structure to greater danger during typhoons;

(c) that there is no objection to the occupants laying pavements between huts to improve sanitation. Many do this already; and

(d) that the standard provision of water standpipes in licensed areas is one standpipe with two taps for every 500 persons.

The present provision in Kowloon Bay

licensed area is one standpipe for every 280 persons.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-I have a few more questions to ask. The first part of the answer didn't mean anything to me because I have not got the Ordinance here to check. Could the Commissioner please tell us what is the size per person allocated in this kind of resite area?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -The height is 8' and the depth is 8' and the width is 2' per adult, and there is a scale of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7' according to the number of adults.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I asked about this because if these people in the Licensed areas are going to remain any length of time, say four or five years which seems likely in Kowloon Bay, would it not be necessary for them to build cocklofts to cater for the rest of the family, since they are not allowed to expand the area sideways or lengthways?

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

399

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:--Sir, when the 1964 White Paper was considered by Government in Legislative Council, the then Colonial Secretary made the following statement: -"Construction of resettlement and Government Low-Cost housing on as large a scale as we were committed then could only be justified if we do all we can to ensure that further indiscriminate squatting is strictly controlled, and that people generally who have no home or place to live can be given sites for erecting a house in areas which are not required for early development or which are sufficiently attractive to draw other families from existing accommodation elsewhere." That was a specification. If we were to allow more expansion in the structures in Licensed areas, then it would increase our resettlement commitments.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I don't think the term "indis- criminate squatting" applies here. These people were sent there or allocated these spaces. May I ask the Commissioner again if he will consider what people are going to do if they are in an area in a hut for four or five years and the family increases? Where are the extra babies going to sleep?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: case can be looked into individually.

When the time comes, the

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, the time has come, that is why I am asking it. Could there not be some regulation that no one is allowed to sublet and anybody found there who is not on the original list will never be resettled? I think that would settle it.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-If there is a specific case, I will certainly look into it on individual merit, or I may be prepared to allocate another site for him. But I am not prepared to allow heightening or expansion of the size of the hut.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-In that case, may I ask the Commissioner to investigate this case at Kowloon Bay because these people are already in the situation where their huts are not big enough for the family. Would he consider giving them bigger space?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Would you give details of the particular case?

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Then point (d) about the standpipe. Two taps for 500 persons is general and in this case 280 persons for one stand- pipe, that is two taps. Well, that may be the regulation, but Mr. Chairman, this is 1971, the days of space travel. Is there any pos- sibility of getting more taps for the people because everybody else is getting a tap inside his resettlement room?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-The approved standard was laid down by the White Paper in 1964.

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