THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14TH OCTOBER, 1899.
7.-(a.) Every existing domestic building must be pro- Open spaces. vided with an open space in the rear, by epening cut on cach floor one-half of the entire space intervening between the principal room or rooms and the main wall at the back of such building as well as the corresponding portion of roof, unless such building is already provided with an open and unobstructed backyard of at least fifty square feet
in area.
(b.) For the purposes of this section any domestic build- ings having two main frontages in different streets (other than corner houses) shall be regarded as two domestic buildings.
power,
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(e.) The Governor-in-Council shall have special cases, to modify the foregoing requirements where such modification may appear necessary.
(d.) In no case may any obstructions whatever be placed or erected in these open spaces, with the exception of a bridge or covered way on each storey not exceeding three feet six inches in width when such bridges are necessary as a means of access to any part of the domestic building.
8.-(a.) Every domestic building hereafter erected in this Colony, (except in cases provided for by section 66 of the Public Health Ordinance, 1887, or coming within the terms of Articles of Agreement under the Praya Reclamation Ordinance, 1889) shall be provided with an open space in the rear in accordance with the following scale :-
Houses not exceeding 40 feet in depth, for
each foot of width
An open space not less than
...... 8 square feet.
Houses exceeding 40 feet but not exceed- ing 50 feet in depth, for each foot of width
..10 square feet.
Houses exceeding 50 feet but not exceed- ing 60 feet in depth, for each foot of width
Houses exceeding 60 feet in depth, for each
foot of width
12 square feet.
....14 square feet.
In no case may any obstructions whatever be placed or erected in these open spaces, with the exception of a bridge or covered way on each storey not exceeding three feet six inches in width when such bridges are necessary as a means of access to any part of the domestic building:
Provided always that when the owners of a block of buildings agree to make and do make a lane opening at either end upon a public street, and free from obstruction throughout both vertically and horizontally, the foregoing requirements shall be modified as follows:- Houses not exceeding 40 feet in depth: a
lane not less than
Houses exceeding 40 feet but not exceeding
6 feet wide.
50 feet in depth: a lane not less than...... 8 feet wide. Houses exceeding 50 feet but not exceeding
4
60 feet in depth: a lane not less than......11 feet wide.
Houses exceeding 60 feet in depth: a lane
not less than
13 feet wide.
(b.) In computing the depth of a domestic building for the purposes of this section the depth of the kitchen shall be included in the computation of such depth in every case except when such kitchen is separated from the principal room or rooms of such building by an open backyard of at least six feet in depth extending the entire width of the back of such building and unobstructed except by a bridge on each floor not more than three feet six inches wide.
9. Every street on private land, in the rear of domestic Maintenance buildings, shall be and shall be kept concreted, chan- and lighting
of private nelled, drained, and provided with lighting apparatus back streets. by the Government, at the expense of the owners of the land abutting on such street, and the several owners of such land shall bear the cost of such concreting, chan- nelling, draining and providing of such apparatus in pro- portion to the width of their respective land at the place where it abuts on such street, and the Government may recover such proportionate cost, together with interest thercon at the rate of eight per cent. per annum from the date of demand for payment of such proportionate cost nade by the Director of Public Works from any such owner, by a suit in the name of the Director of Public Works in the Summary Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The cost of the illumination of such street shall, however, be borne by the Government.
All household refuse shall be regularly removed by the Government from every such street.
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