ENG-1963 — Page 241

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LAND AND HOUSING

rates. It was necessary to form appeal boards composed of mem- bers of the Urban Council and Government departments to hear requests from shop-keepers for reductions on the grounds of individual hardship, but the new pattern has now been generally accepted.

Flatted Factories. Mention has already been made of the small factories which have always operated in squatter areas. As clear- ance operations advanced they revealed more and more of these 'squatter factories' and, to permit those being resettled to continue this form of livelihood a number of multi-storey factory blocks were built. These have industrial working space in units of 198 square feet in the old blocks, the first of which was completed in 1957, and 256 square feet in the revised design first built in 1962. There are at present 11 resettlement flatted factories mostly situated in or near existing resettlement estates, and one single storey annexe building. They are allocated to owners of squatter factories under a certain size who cannot afford to re-establish themselves elsewhere. Rents are calculated to provide a return on capital within 21 years at five per cent per annum compound interest. They vary from $75 a month for a ground floor unit to $45 a month for one on a top floor in the older factories, and from $120 to $65 in the new factories, in each case inclusive of

rates.

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Improvements are now being made in design and amenities of these buildings and new factory blocks due for construction in 1964 will have seven storeys instead of the previous five storeys. The factory tenancies are administered from the department's headquarters with the assistance of the works section who check machinery, and electrical and floor loadings. To secure satisfactory working conditions and safety from fire and other hazards, there is also continuous liaison with the Labour Department and the Fire Services Department.

Cottage Resettlement Areas. Fourteen cottage resettlement areas still remain in existence, but the number of occupants varies little from year to year since it is uneconomic, at least in the urban areas, to increase their size. In certain districts the sites are being cleared for other development, and their occupants resettled in multi-storey accommodation. A total of 508 structures in four cottage areas were demolished to provide land for more intensive