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Regulation which deals with squatter clearance. The great majority of the victims had left the scene of the fire, having somehow contrived to find alternative accommodation. But some had been unable to do this and in order that they might be given some alternative to remaining on the site the Chairman of the Urban Council decided that they should be offered sites in the Ngau Tau Kok area. This is one of the areas which is to be opened up in due course for large-scale squatter resettlement; but it had not been intended to permit settlers to move there until after completion of certain works, being mainly the construction of roads and paths and the provision of a piped water supply. However in view of the emergency created by the fire it was possible to offer sites in this area to a limited number of settlers and on 26th November, 1951, the new settlement Fuk Wa Village was formed by about one hundred fire victims who till then had remained on the scene of the fire. At first there was some reluctance to accept this offer but when the settlers understood that they would have reasonable security of tenure in these new sites and that this was indeed the beginning of a large-scale resettlement project the move became more popular and by about mid-December had to be stopped because of the limited water supply. At the end of the month Fuk Wa Village consisted of 160 families comprising 550 individuals.
5.
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These first settlers at Ngau Tau Kok wore naturally amongst the poorest of the fire victims and it was necessary to make a special effort in the welfare field. The issue of free meals which, as has been recorded, was stopped at the scene of the fire on 2nd December, 1951, was continued throughout December at Fuk Wa Village; the Kowloon City Kaifong Welfare Association issued to each family a quantity of building materials bought with money from the fund subscribed by the public; cach family received also an issue of bricks sufficient to enable them to build a fire-proof kitchen, this being made possible by the generosity of the Keen Sang Brick Company; under arrangements made by the Shamshuipo Kaifong Welfare Association one of the Shamshuipo divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade set up a daily clinic in the settlement; and the Social Welfare Office erected a large matshed which served to provide shelter for the settlers until they were able to build their own dwellings, and served also as premises for a free school started by the Endoavourers.
Registration.
6.
Whilst all this was proceeding the "squatter screening" team of the Social Welfare Office had been diverted from their normal work and had completed a detailed record of all those fire victims who were prepared to queue up for registration. The resettlement of the fire victims on new sites will take some time since the work is dependent to a great extent on the opening up of new areas for the purpose; but the head of every household affected by the fire now holds an identity card which corresponds with a detailed record of his circunstances, so that, in the case of those victims who have not yet been resettled, when they are offered new sites it will be possible to identify them and to give them special consideration and assistance. The information produced by this registration is of some gencral interest and shows that the personal circumstances of the victims varies very widely. As well as the ordinary type of squatter leading a precarious existence in a small wooden shack the victims include owners of small factories, merchants, shop-keepers and many persons in steady and permanent employment. Out of 2,996 families registered no less than 843 stated that they could raise the sum of $1,200 to build an approved-type bungalow on an approved site and by the end of the month sites were being offered to those families in King's Park and at Laichikok as well as on the scene of the fire. This proportion (28%) is very much higher than the average prevailing in the ordinary squatter settlements
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