{
23
of Inland Lot No. 906; the Committee will see, however, that the type of building now proposed, can easily be adapted to the new buildings which will have to be erected on the condemned area in Taipingshan, after the Government have resumed the ground, and laid it out on more sanitary and modern lines.
5. My suggestion is to erect blocks of model working class Dwellings, having At large open area in the centre for light and ventilation, with streets and wide passages on the outside, and surrounding the premises on all four sides (vidê Drawings) thus securing further light and ventilation.
6. On referring to Drawing No. 2 (which is a detail of Block 4 on Drawing No. 1) it will be noticed that the General Entrance to the premises is on the side facing
the 50-feet Public Street, the Entrance will be 4 feet 6 inches wide opening into an Entrance Lobby (laid in cement concrete) 15 feet long and 14 feet wide, and leading direct into the large Open Area or Yard 39 feet long by 36 feet wide. The caretaker or concierge would reside in this lobby, for which there is ample room, at the front corner of the Blocks, and on the Ground Floor. two shops are shewn, for the sale of Chinese groceries, provisions, &c., &c.
7. At the opposite end of the Yard to the Entrance, a large cook-house (15' x 12') and latrine accommodation is provided, one latrine for men only (15′ × 12′) and one for women and children (15′ × 8′)
The question of latrine accommodation is one to which I attach very great importance, hitherto it has almost invariably been neglected both by the Govern- ment and owners of property. In all Building Regulations both in Great Britain and other places, you will find provision made for the erection of privies, &c., and that by the "Building Owner." According to the existing Hongkong Ordinances, a building owner can, if he so wishes it, erect say 500 houses in one Block, and there is no provision in any of the Ordinances compelling him to provide suitable latrine accommodation for the occupants of the said houses. The present time, with the lessons taught us by the visitation of the Plague, and when it is proposed to re-construct certain portions of the City, is, in my opinion, a favourable opportunity for introducing new Regulations referring to this matter.
8. As before mentioned, a Special Latrine, with a separate Entrance is pro- vided for women and children. You will probably be informed that women will not go to such places; on enquiry, however, I find that such is not the case, the fact being, as I am creditably informed, that in the Public Latrines now opened in the City (and which latrines are few in number and some long distances apart), no special provision of any kind is made for women and children; they have either to make use of receptacles in their cook-houses or living rooms, or resort to the Latrines used by men.
I respectfully venture to suggest that your Committee should strongly recom- mend the Government to adopt measures for the improvement of this very unsatis- factory state of things.
9. The proposed latrines would have cement concrete floors, and the walls, for a height of 5 feet would be rendered with neat cement. They would have ample light and ventilation from large doors and openings at each end, thus securing a good current of air through each of them and owing to the ample light in them. there would be no difficulty in keeping them clean and free from offensive smells.
The floors of the cook-rooms immediately above them, would be constructed of cement concrete (carried on iron joists) and other materials impervious to
moisture.
10. All the cook-houses throughout the building would also be constructed in a manner similar to the latrines, with concrete floors, so that no water could percolate through them, they also would have ample light and ventilation on two
649