Page 77 of 242
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The public can rest assured that the Urban Council will play its full part in Government's overall plans for urban development and in building better standards of low-cost housing with improved facilities for Hongkong's lower-income families.
REPORTS BY CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL.
CHAIRMAN: --Members will recall that at their April meeting, a Motion was carried that
"this Council considers asking Government to set up a working party for the purpose of reviewing the policies laid down in the White Paper Review of Policies for Squatter Control, 1964' ".
The Standing Committee of the Whole Council considered this Motion at its meeting on 11th May when many views were expressed and it was decided that I should ask Government if it had the intention, on its own, to set up such a working party.
I am informed that this is not Government's intention, but that Government would be willing to put to the Housing Board
(a) the Council's findings on present day unsatisfactory conditions and the reasons for them in the estates for which the Council is responsible;
(b) the Council's recommendations for improving conditions in these estates.
At the Council's May meeting, Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's Motion on the subject of Phase I of the Council's Report on the Reform of Local Government was deferred for one month, following my statement that this Report would be placed before the Executive Council.
At the June meeting, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, having been informed that the matter was being actively considered by the Executive Council, agreed to postpone further debate on the Motion for another month.
The position in this connection now is that the Executive Council considered this matter on 1 June and presented their advice to His Excellency the Governor. The Council's recommendations are now being processed in the Secretariat and I hope to be in a position soon to say just when they may be made available to this Council.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE asked the following question :-
Will the Chairman clarify measures taken to protect the staff of the Resettlement Department when carrying out their duties, and assure this Council that every support will be forthcoming in the future?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
Staff of the Resettlement Department have to face violence or threats of violence from time to time in the following types of situation:
(i) planned clearances,
(ii) routine squatter control demolitions,
(iii) tidying up operations within the estates.
Planned clearances are normally done on a large scale either because of the large number of structures involved or because of the extent of area covered. All clearances are done for specific purposes, usually some form of development including engineering projects. (Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point). The people who are genuinely displaced are all resettled and/or compensated as appropriate in accordance with current policies. The department requires a substantial period of notice before these clearances are undertaken and difficult clearances are tackled with the assistance of other interested departments. This is usually through coordination committees chaired by the appropriate City District Officer who for the last three years has assumed this role which in the past was fulfilled by the Secretary for Home Affairs, the then Secretary for Chinese Affairs. Security measures including Police support on the D-day for a particular clearance are ensured because of Police presence within the coordination committees during the planning stage. Our actual arrangements in this regard are based on long-standing agreement worked out between the Police and Resettlement Department, dating back some 16 years.
Routine squatter control demolitions are carried out in considerable numbers every day to deal with new illegal erections on Crown land or extensions to tolerated structures. Since 1964, such work has been the responsibility of the district Resettlement Officers of each squatter control district. The district Resettlement Officers normally plan their demolitions a few days in advance and if physical resistance is expected a Police escort is requested. On the whole, Police assistance is required only in roughly 10% of the cases and their support is normally effective. Again I would stress that our arrangements with the Police have been worked out over the years in the light
135
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 77 of 242
Page 77 of 242
134
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The public can rest assured that the Urban Council will play its full part in Government's overall plans for urban develop- ment and in building better standards of low-cost housing with improved facilities for Hongkong's lower-income families.
REPORTS BY CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL.
CHAIRMAN: --Members will recall that at their April meeting, a Motion was carried that
"this Council considers asking Government to set up a working party for the purpose of reviewing the policies laid down in the White Paper Review of Policies for Squatter Control, 1964' ".
The Standing Committee of the Whole Council considered this Motion at its meeting on 11th May when many views were expressed and it was decided that I should ask Government if it had the intention, on its own, to set up such a working party.
I am informed that this is not Government's intention, but that Government would be willing to put to the Housing Board
(a) the Council's findings on present day unsatisfactory conditions and the reasons for them in the estates for which the Council is responsible;
(b) the Council's recommendations for improving conditions in
these estates.
At the Council's May meeting, Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's Motion on the subject of Phase I of the Council's Report on the Reform of Local Government was deferred for one month, following my statement that this Report would be placed before the Executive Council.
At the June meeting, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, having been informed that the matter was being actively considered by the Executive Council, agreed to postpone further debate on the Motion for another month.
The position in this connection now is that the Executive Council considered this matter on 1 June and presented their advice to His Excellency the Governor. The Council's recommendations are now being processed in the Secretariat and I hope to be in a position soon to say just when they may be made available to this Council.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE asked the following question :-
Will the Chairman clarify measures taken to protect the staff of the Resettlement Department when carrying out their
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
135
duties, and assure this Council that every support will be forthcoming in the future?
THE COMMISSioner for ResETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
Staff of the Resettlement Department have to face violence or threats of violence from time to time in the following types of situation:
(i) planned clearances,
(ii) routine squatter control demolitions,
(iii) tidying up operations within the estates.
Planned clearances are normally done on a large scale either because of the large number of structures involved or because of the extent of area covered. All clearances are done for specific purposes, usually some form of development including engineering projects. (Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point). The people who are genuinely displaced are all resettled and/or compensated as appropriate in accordance with current policies. The department requires a substantial period of notice before these clearances are undertaken and difficult clearances are tackled with the assistance of other interested depart- ments. This is usually through coordination committees chaired by the appropriate City District Officer who for the last three years has assumed this role which in the past was fulfilled by the Secretary for Home Affairs, the then Secretary for Chinese Affairs. Security measures including Police support on the D-day for a particular clearance are ensured because of Police presence within the coordination committees during the planning stage. Our actual arrangements in this regard are based on long- standing agreement worked out between the Police and Resettlement Department, dating back some 16 years.
Routine squatter control demolitions are carried out in con- siderable numbers every day to deal with new illegal erections on Crown land or extensions to tolerated struc- tures. Since 1964, such work has been the responsibility of the district Resettlement Officers of each squatter control district. The district Resettlement Officers normally plan their demolitions a few days in advance and if physical resistance is expected a Police escort is requested. On the whole, Police assistance is required only in roughly 10% of the cases and their support is normally effective. Again I would stress that our arrangements with the Police have been worked out over the years in the light
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