185 (49)
Appendix No. 2.
To the Chairman and Members of the
PUBLIC HEALTH AND BUILDINGS COMMISSION.
GENTLEMEN,After over 3 years practical experience of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance No. 1 of 1903, and over 3 years practical experience of Ordinance No. 23 of 1903, I have found that the sections dealing with cubicles are far too drastic in character, are practically unworkable, and therefore cannot be carried out without inflicting very considerable hardship under the mass of the Chinese people, a very great majority of whom cannot afford to rent a floor to themselves, but can only afford to rent a portion of a floor, under these circumstances how is it possible to carry out Section 153 (a) of Ordinance No. 1 of 1903 which reads as follows:
"No cubicle shall be constructed or maintained in any storey of any domestic
building hereafter erected or re-erected."
To this I would suggest the following amendment :-
“Provided that where (in the opinion of the Sanitary Board cubicles of an improved type can safely be allowed without danger to the Public Health, that on the advice of the Medical Officer of Health and the Sanitary Surveyor such im- proved type of cubicles be allowed, but in no case to exceed four in number."
I would also further suggest that wherever this concession is granted the number of cubicles allowed on each floor be painted on the walls of such floors, in just the same way as the legal number of occupants are painted up at the present time, (in English and Chinese).
The notice on the wall to read as follows:-
To accommodate
.Persons.
Legal No. of Cubicles
This concession would apply chiefly to the following classes of houses:
(1) Chinese Emigration Houses or Chinese Hotels where the boarders stay a few days only when travelling between Chinese ports, and passing through Hongkong, the present Ordinance undoubtedly gives much unnecessary trouble and inconvenience to these heavily taxed people, these hotels are licensed, therefore it would be fairly easy to have each one dealt with as regards cubicles when the application is made for a licence, and if the pre- mises are not suitable for the erection of cubicles no licence should be granted.
Sub-divisions of the upper storeys are absolutely necessary in this class of property.
(2) In the case of a floor used by a Chinese family of the middle class consisting of parents and grown up children of each sex, I personally know of a great number of such cases, where not the slightest trouble is given to the Sanitary Officials, the floor is certainly not overcrowded, and the occupants are prepared to carry out any reasonable suggestion with regard to the erection of such cubicles, in the bulk of such cases two or three cubicles would be sufficient.