36. Mr. Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to inform the House as to the steps taken by the Government of Hong Kong to provide adequate relief for those people who suffered from the fire at Tung Tao village last November.
§ Mr. LytteltonYes, Sir. As the answer is rather long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the answer:Emergency relief measures were concerted between the Social Welfare Office and the Kowloon City Kaifong Welfare Association. Seventy-four thousand free meals were served on the scene and 320,000 garments provided generously by the public. Distribution was carried out by volunteers from the Kaifong, ably organised by their Chairman, and great credit is due to all concerned.Most of the homeless resourcefully found accommodation for themselves, and few needed the temporary shelter offered them in nearby schools, etc. Only some 80 persons remained on the scene of the fire, living in a mat shed erected by the Social Welfare Department on 24th November.Meanwhile immediate relief was supplemented by resettlement. About 100 squatters who could find no other homes were given sites in a new settlement—Fuk Wa Village—on 26th November. By the end of December, this new village had a population of 550. Since these were the poorest squatters, free meals were issued in the village during December and each family was issued with building materials paid for from the generous public subscriptions, which, when the Relief Fund was closed just before Christmas, totalled nearly $227,000 (over£14,000).Concurrently, all those fire victims who wished it were registered by the Social Welfare Office. Of 2,996 families registered, no less than 848, or 28 per cent., stated that they could raised $1,200 to build approved type bungalows on approved sites. By the end of December these families were being offered sites in Kings Park and Laichikok as well as in Tung Tao and the other families are also being given assistance in finding sites.A relief fund raised by generous public subscriptions of over£14,000 was kept largely intact during the immediate relief period and a committee has been appointed to administer it. It is proposed to offer every fire victim his share either in cash, or in building materials, to help his resettlement.