436
They call particular attention to the tabulated statement of the Medical Officer of Health in which he states that in Health Districts V and VI out of a total of 3,095 Chinese houses 2,530 are insanit- ary. In the other Health Districts it appears from his evidence that a similar unsatisfactory state of affairs exists.
To show to what extent overcrowding exists I append the following table from the Medical Officer of Health's report for 1897 :-
Districts.
Chinese Houses.
Floors.
Chinese Population.
Non-Chinese Non-Chinese
Honses. Population.
Acreage.
Total No. of persons
per acre.
I....
503
811
7,720
31
428
531
15.3
2.
955
2,853
21.120
1,108
267
83.2
3..
18
33
4,210
355
1,869
158
38.5
4..
776
2,341
23,230
128
1,834
45
556.9
5..
980
2,686
21,720
21
351
23
959.6
6..
805
2,308
16,680
3
398
23
742,5
7.
722
2,227
16,010
7
179
27
599.6
8..
732
2,231
18,540
5
129
42
444.4
9..
1,023
2,457
23,860
19
160
40
600,5
10...
564
1,213
7,370
47
296
258
29.7
7,078
18,660
160,460
616
6,752
1,414
From this it is seen that in No. V Health District there are no less than 959 persons to the acre. To remedy these insanitary defects it is necessary to aim towards the attainment of abundance of pure air and light in houses, shops and streets, to provide an abundant supply of pure wholesome water, to do away with back 10 back houses, to abolish blind courts and alleys, to prevent overcrowd- ing and to increase as far as practicable open spaces in the crowded part of the City.
A Bill has been framed to make further provision for the sanitation of the Colony and is now under consideration by the Legislature.
It contains regulations as to cubicles, doing away with them entirely in houses fronting streets of a width of 15 feet or less, limiting their height, &c.
It makes the erection of mezzanine floors or cock lofts illegal without the permission of the Sanitary Board.
It limits the heights of buildings.
The most important regulations are those that insist on the provision of an open space in the rear of every domnestic building already erected, erected hereafter or now in process of erection; these, if passed, will do away with back to back houses.
It also requires that no obstructions shall be in any private streets or lanes upon which domestic buildings abut.
This Bill if passed and carried out will considerably improve the sanitary condition of the Colony, but I am convinced that the main evil to overcome is that of overcrowding and until this is seriously considered and practically dealt with, the Colony will be liable to epidemics of plague and other similar diseases.
14. I attach to this the reports of:-
1. Government Civil Hospital.
2. Medical Officer in charge of the Mortuary.
3. Medical Officer to Victoria Gaol.
4. Visiting Surgeon to the Tung Wah Hospital.
5. Medical Officer to the Lunatic Asylums.
6. Government Analyst.
7. A report on the prevalence of plague in the Colony of Hongkong during the years 1897
and 1898.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary,
J. M. ATKINSON, M.B. (Lond.), D.P.H. (Camb.) &c,
Principal Civil Medical Officer.