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Hon. C. P. CRATER-What is your opinion in regard to latrines ?—I have always held that public latrines should be under the control of the Government, and they should be maintained in a sanitary condition. The present Government latrines are infinitely worse than most of the private ones.
Are there a sufficient number of latrines at the present moment ?—Nothing like enough.
Do you
think the Government ought to go in and build a lot of them ?—Yes.
Mr. EDE-In what respect are the Government-built latrines insanitary as compared with the private latrines ?--Because all private owners have been forced to conduct all the foul gases out and away over the tops of houses, or an injunction has been obtained in Court to shut up the latrine; so they fastened up all window openings and put in ventilators in the roof. All the Government latrines are built with windows in them on all sides, and when there is the least wind on one side the foul gases are blown out of the other side. The only reason why action has not been taken is that the Chinese are afraid to take action against the Government.
There is an unpleasant smell round the latrines ?-More; I say they are absolutely insanitary.
Is not the correct theory that the more it is diluted the less insanitary it is ? I do not consider that is the correct theory in this case; if foul gases are directed into a man's window they are far less sanitary even though they are diluted than if they were taken in a more condensed form over the top of the houses.
In this city the ground rises so much that it is difficult to get your ventilator to take off the gases; it is difficult to get the smell completely away from the houses higher up. The sites for the public latrines should be chosen with that object in view.
The CHAIRMAN-You are in favour of latrines being under Government control and built by the Government ?—Yes.
You think there is a great want of them ?—I do; there is not sufficient.
With regard to where no backyard exists or where the rear of the premises abuts on a lane of a less width than 6 feet, such open space should be provided by opening out not less than one half of the kitchen in the rear of the premises. Are you in favour of that suggestion ?-Where the room exceeds 30 feet in depth, yes.
Otherwise not?—I did not catch exactly the width of the street.
Of a less width than 6 feet. -No. I have already said that I consider the minimum. should be 15 feet. I would not compel owners to do that now. There is a law which compels them to do that when they rebuild, but if you compel owners of rooms of less than 30 feet deep to put in backyards then you will ruin some of the most valuable properties in Hongkong. I will give instances, Endicott Lane, Tung Man Lane, Wing On Lane, Gilman Street, Gilman Bazaar, &c., all most valuable properties between Queen's Road and the Praya.
Hon. C. P. CHATER-What is the value of these properties?-$8 a square foot. The whole of these properties are only about 24 feet deep over all, and the dwelling room is seldom over 20 feet deep. If you are going to take off a 10-foot backyard plus one foot 6 inches thickness for wall the balance would be only about 8 feet 6 inches and utterly worthless, you will let yourselves in for millions. This is my contention. Where the room is shallow-for instance, take this room, it is over 40 feet deep. If it were well lighted on that side I say plenty of light would reach this back part to make it sanitary.