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relocated when a suitable resite area can be found as it is desirable that the licensees should be given an opportunity to maintain their livelihood. However, in the very congested area of Central District no suitable resite can be found in the vicinity.

These stalls, like most other hawker stalls, tend to expand their area of operations over a period of time and it is necessary for the Department to warn them periodically about obstruction and then take appropriate action to reduce the obstruction if the stallholders fail to do so (as happens more often than not). Warnings were served on the stalls in writing on 30th April and action to ensure that the stalls comply with the Hawker By-laws was taken on the morning of 24th May. The position is now better and further action will be taken in the same way should it prove necessary in the future. However, the basic problem still remains and the Department will continue to try to find a suitable site to which all these stalls can eventually be relocated.

With regard to the second part of this question, I have been advised by the Commissioner for Resettlement and I have also, I would like to add, obtained an agreement from the Chairman of the Resettlement Policy Select Committee to say that the position is as follows:

"Nos. 30, 32 and 34 D'Aguilar Street, Hong Kong were subjected to emergency closure by the Building Authority on 23rd March, 1971 and 6th April, 1971 respectively. The tenants of these buildings will be eligible for compensation from their former landlords under the Demolished Buildings Ordinance and are also eligible for resettlement if they so choose, under the Rent Advance Scheme. A total of 12 families comprising 68 persons were registered by the Resettlement Department for resettlement under the Rent-in-Advance Scheme. Out of these, 5 families comprising 20 persons have so far joined the scheme. These people will be resettled in Sau Mau Ping and Yau Tong Estates."

(15) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:-

I have received a number of complaints from tenants of resettlement estates who are forced to use communal lavatories that they are dark, slippery, foul-smelling, damp,

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generally unhygienic, even sometimes dangerous and in some cases young hooligans have been observed hiding in the darkness and watching young ladies going there. Would the Commissioner for Resettlement inform the Council what measures have been taken to alleviate these complaints, if any?

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-

The communal lavatories to which this question refers are confined to Marks I and II Blocks which, however, still house some half a million people. Conversion plans for some of these blocks (as has already taken place at Wong Tai Sin) will assist in eliminating some of these communal lavatories.

In the earlier Mark I Blocks, only one lighting point was provided: in the later ones, 4 points (as in all Mark II Blocks). As from April 1970, 40-watt bulbs have been used as replacements for the original 25-watt bulbs, and I am prepared to see if any further improvement can be made to the lighting in these blocks.

These lavatories are heavily used and are washed and cleansed twice daily; chloride of lime is applied once weekly or oftener if required. Salt water flushes them every few minutes. All of which contributes to the damp condition and may render the floor surface slippery. I would suggest that the conditions are perhaps "unpleasant" rather than "unhygienic", but here again I shall see if anything can be done to improve matters.

With regard to hooligans, short of putting a full-time attendant at each of these lavatories, it will be difficult to eliminate them. But again, I shall discuss the problem with my staff and others to see what can be done.

MR. BERNACCHI:- I thank the Commissioner for Resettlement for giving a fairly full answer. Two supplementaries. Am I right in saying that the conversion plans at present are in respect of only a very small number of these Mark I and Mark II blocks?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT :- The intention, Sir, is that we try to redevelop Shek Kip Mei; that was the subject of my answer just now. But whether the Shek Kip Mei scheme will succeed or not, that depends; we shall have to wait and see, otherwise you will say that we are plunging into it without planning, without foresight, all the rest of it. All the criticism will come back again in due time so we have to move step by step. There are finalized plans as far as Shek Kip Mei

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