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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Some of them were.
In fact the pre 1953 concept was emergency resettlement. You had a different sort of categories; you had people living in tolerated huts in resettlement areas; people in approved structures in resettlement areas, all described in different ways. It wasn't in the estate at all, it was mainly the pre 1954 cottage areas.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, is it correct that this 1,124,000 would include some people twice?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Some of cottage areas have since been cleared of course and they have been resettled. But these are the existing number of people as from today, as from when the answer was prepared.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Perhaps, Mr. Chairman, that is the answer to my question, the missing 26,000?
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Yes, I think it is.
(2) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) What does the Commissioner for Resettlement estimate the number of squatters to be at present?
(b) How many people are there in other categories eligible for resettlement but still awaiting accommodation?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
In answer to part (a) of the question, I am to state that in accordance with the policy laid down by the White Paper "Review of Policies for Squatter Control, Resettlement and Government Low-Cost Housing 1964", the object of squatter control was to ensure that the then existing collections of "tolerated structures" would be frozen. No new building of this kind would be allowed on Crown land or elsewhere. The huts themselves would not be cleared but their "frozen" size and numbers would be strictly contained until such time as they were cleared in the course of the many development schemes then and now in progress, their inhabitants being screened and resettled in the normal way.
As a result of a resolution passed in the Legislative Council on 16th September 1964, the Resettlement Department completed a comprehensive survey of "squatter structures" on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon, New Kowloon and Tsuen Wan Kwai Chung District on 22nd October 1964, when 89,707 such structures were registered. It has since been the primary duty of officers in the Squatter Control Division to take appropriate action as prescribed in Section 11(1) of the Resettlement Ordinance, i.e. to remove or demolish any new squatter structures or any extensions summarily.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Since 1965, a total of 12,467 such structures have been cleared for development, leaving 77,240 still to be tackled. It is our estimate that 357,459 persons live in these structures today. The actual number can only be verified when the time comes for their turn to be screened in accordance with the provisions of Part III of the Resettlement Ordinance.
I might add that, as a result of the 1964 policy review, I have been charged with the additional duties of administering Class I, II and III Licensed Areas in accordance with the provisions of Part VA of the Resettlement Ordinance. To date, there are a total of 6,356 structures in 25 Licensed Areas. The number of licensees living in these Licensed Areas to date is 34,351. I should make it clear that these licensees, by virtue of the statutory status conferred upon them, are not squatters in the proper sense.
In answer to part (b) of the question, may I draw Members' attention to the statement contained in paragraph 85 of the Report of the Housing Board for the year 1970, of which an advance copy has been supplied to Members of this Council for consultation in relation to the aspects which directly relates to this Council's responsibilities. In paragraph 85 of the said Report, it is stated:-
"Based on known clearances and other Resettlement categories the estimated commitment for Resettlement is as follows:
Category Requirement over 6 years to 31st March, 1976 No. of Units (1) Compassionate cases and victims of natural and other disasters Individual Units of Accommodation 48,000 (2) Dangerous huts 2,000 (3) Rent advance scheme 9,000Page 16
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Page 15 of 242
10
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Some of them were.
In fact
the pre 1953 concept was emergency resettlement. You had a different sort of categories; you had people living in tolerated huts in resettle- ment areas; people in approved structures in resettlement areas, all described in different ways. It wasn't in the estate at all, it was mainly the pre 1954 cottage areas.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, is it correct that this 1,124,000 would include some people twice?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Some of cottage areas have since been cleared of course and they have been resettled. But these are the existing number of people as from today, as from when the answer was prepared.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Perhaps, Mr. Chairman, that is the answer to my question, the missing 26,000?
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Yes, I think it is.
(2) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) What does the Commissioner for Resettlement estimate
the number of squatters to be at present?
(b) How many people are there in other categories eligible
for resettlement but still awaiting accommodation?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
In answer to part (a) of the question, I am to state that in accordance with the policy laid down by the White Paper "Review of Policies for Squatter Control, Resettlement and Government Low-Cost Housing 1964", the object of squatter control was to ensure that the then existing collec- tions of "tolerated structures" would be frozen. No new building of this kind would be allowed on Crown land or elsewhere. The huts themselves would not be cleared but their "frozen" size and numbers would be strictly contain- ed until such time as they were cleared in the course of the many development schemes then and now in progress, their inhabitants being screened and resettled in the normal way.
As a result of a resolution passed in the Legislative Council on 16th September 1964, the Resettlement Department completed a comprehensive survey of "squatter structures" on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon, New Kowloon and
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
11
Tsuen Wan Kwai Chung District on 22nd October 1964, when 89,707 such structures were registered. It has since been the primary duty of officers in the Squatter Control Division to take appropriate action as prescribed in Section 11(1) of the Resettlement Ordinance, i.e. to remove or demolish any new squatter structures or any extensions summarily.
Since 1965, a total of 12,467 such structures have been cleared for development, leaving 77,240 still to be tackled. It is our estimate that 357,459 persons live in these structures today. The actual number can only be verified when the time comes for their turn to be screened in accordance with the provisions of Part III of the Resettlement Ordinance.
I might add that, as a result of the 1964 policy review, I have been charged with the additional duties of administering Class I, II and III Licensed Areas in accordance with the provisions of Part VA of the Resettlement Ordinance. To date, there are a total of 6,356 structures in 25 Licensed Areas. The number of licensees living in these Licensed Areas to date is 34,351. I should make it clear that these licensees, by virtue of the statutory status con- ferred upon them, are not squatters in the proper sense.
In answer to part (b) of the question, may I draw Members' attention to the statement contained in paragraph 85 of the Report of the Housing Board for the year 1970, of which an advance copy has been supplied to Members of this Council for consultation in relation to the aspects which directly relates to this Council's responsibilities. In paragraph 85 of the said Report, it is stated:-
"Based on known clearances and other Resettlement categories the estimated commitment for Resettle- ment is as follows:
Category
(1) Compassionate cases and victims of
natural and other disasters
(2) Dangerous huts
(3) Rent advance scheme
Requirement over
6 years to 31st March, 1976
Individual Units of Accommodation
No. of Units
48,000
2,000
9,000
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