187 (+)
percentage of adult Chinese females to adult males in the Colony is approximately as follows:-
City of Victoria,
Villages of Aberdeen. Stanley, Shaukiwan and Pokfulam, Old Kowloon,
In 1901 the percentages were:—
City of Victoria,
Hongkong Villages,
Old Kowloon,
مر نوح
.31% 31 10 .33.5%
28
30%
..24"
10
The excess of estimated population over actual population, as revealed by the Census of 1906, is explained by the unprecedented growth of the population between 1896 and 1901 the Census figures for which years had necessarily to be taken to make the estimate. The Sanitary Officials were aware of the probability of these estimates being too high, and it was they who urged the taking of the 1906 Census to correct the figures.
The actual increase however in less than 6 years is 15,010 Chinese and 2,982 non- Chinese civilians exclusive of the New Territories.
Paragraph 37.-Sub-section 2 of section 175 is not ambiguous. The requirement of a double yard (ie., 100 square feet instead of 50 square feet) for houses more than 50 feet deep and with double frontage was provided for because with the exception of these long narrow double-fronted houses there are not many houses exceeding this depth.
It is not admitted that the sub-section has not been enforced or that it is unworkable.
Paragraphs 39 and 40.—That in the original laying out of Victoria many streets were made too narrow and that the Sanitary Condition of the City would be better had the streets been made wider cannot be denied. This condition is probably experienced in every city in the world and is by no means peculiar to Hongkong. But it does not justify owners of property in building on every scare foot of their lots and thus erecting insanitary dwell- ings. Seeing that rates are based upon actual rentals the Government were bound to benefit by any increased rentals derived from overcrowding.
Paragraphs 41 und 42.-Section 140 provides for modification of the kitchen area by the Building Authority, and I fail to see how the exercise of the power of modification can be described as breach of that section.
In Paragraphs 50 and 51 the Commissioners miss the point. It is quite true that in the existing Ordinance a back lane is required in addition to a backyard in the case of a new house, but with the important condition that the lane is to be paid for by the Government (see section 180 (3) of rdinance 1 of 1903).
In Paragraph 52 the Commissioners evidently refer to certain houses built by the Humphreys Estate Co., of which one of the Commissioners is Managing Director, at Kowloon and which are referred to in the letter of which a copy is attached.
I would Enclosure 3. remark in the first place that the Government cannot be held responsible for the opinion apparently privately expressed by one of its Officers and I would repeat that backyards are Sanitary conveniences apart from their value for lighting and ventilation. This latter consideration the Commissioners appear to have quite overlooked in their remarks in paragraphs 53 and 54.
Cubicles.
5.-The Commissioners have evidently not made themselves acquainted with the history of this question.
Ordinance No. 1 of 1903 prohibited windowless cubicles because it was anticipated that by making considerable structural alterations owners of property would be able to contrive to light and ventilate cubicles in existing buildings by a window for each in a very large number of cases, and an inducement was held out to them to incur the expense of doing so by adding to section 46 of the Ordinance the proviso that a cubicle duly provided with a window might be occupied in the proportion of one adult to every 30 square feet of habitable. floor space and 400 cubic feet of internal air space.
The scheme involved the pulling down of the upper storeys of every third house in a row of houses and was much favoured by the Chinese Members of Council, but when put to the test of practical application it was found to be impracticable owing in large measure to the structural weakness of the majority of the old Chinese houses in the City. Thereupon section 154 was repealed together with the proviso to section 46 and the provisions govern- ing cubicles set out in section 19 of Ordinance 23 of 1903 were passed.