ENG-1953 — Page 27

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953

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tely launched with Government funds and Government backing. By the end of the year, six days after the fire, army and civil bulldozers were at work on the devastated site and first plans were approved for some 10,000 domestic units, safe and sanitary, to be built at Government expense within six months. These would be rented to the homeless at little more than a nominal

fee.

Disaster as it undoubtedly was, the effect of the Christmas fire in terms of squatter resettlement is likely to be remarkable. Admittedly the terms which are offered in charity to the victims of a national disaster can hardly be offered to the whole mass of the under-privileged. But on a basis of figures alone, it can be seen that the emergency measures approved as a result of the disaster have reduced the general problem appreciably. It is possible that, by the beginning of the summer, between one- quarter and one-fifth of the total remaining squatter population will have been re-housed in sanitary, and fire proof quarters adjacent to their place of work, as a direct result of the Christmas fire. The cost of emergency relief on this scale is staggering $16,000,000 perhaps. There will be some reimbur- sement from nominal permit fees. But the main consideration is that with 40,000 squatters resettled under earlier plans, and 60,000 provided for under the emergency plan, Hong Kong entered the year 1954 with its greatest social problem poten- tially reduced by one-third.

Apart from the question of squatter resettlement, there exists a further serious housing problem in the need for economical low-cost housing for white-collar workers. Two Housing Societies made valuable contributions towards this requirement during the year and a number of private schemes were initiated. In order to increase and co-ordinate these efforts, it was decided later in the year to appoint a public Housing Authority which would have power to devise, initiate, and control housing schemes with money received on loan

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