641
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6. In regard to re-erected houses, cubicles should be allowed in the same manner and to the same extent as in existing houses.
"
The words or re-erected" should be struck out of Section 153 sub-section (a) and the following added:-" on any site which is now vacant or which is now occupied by domestic buildings of a European type or by any non-domestic building".
This will permit cubicles in re-erected houses of the tenement class, but will prohibit them in new houses on sites hitherto unoccupied by tenement houses of the ordinary Chinese type.
7. The Building Authority should have power by law to require that, in the case of domestic buildings erected on these sites, if intended for Chinese tenements, provision be made for the sub-division of each storey above the ground storey into rooms of a suitable area. the iden being to insist upon a proper provision of window spaces in such houses either laterally, or in such other manner as the Architects may be able to devise.
8. No question of compensation arises in connection with any of the foregoing recom- mnendations.
9. Government should undertake the demolition of the upper floors of every third house in blocks of Chinese tenements, repayment of the expenditure incurred being made by the owners of the adjoining houses in respect of the improvements to their property by means of annual instalments extended over a period of years and calculated at such rate of interest as to ultimately recoup the Government for all its outlay.
The houses left standing will, if paragraph 3 is acted upon, legally house the persons- displaced from the buildings so demolished.
Provided that any other scheme recommended by the Sanitary Board may be carried
out in lieu of the above.
A. M. THOMSON,
Colonial Treasurer,
W. CHATHAM,
Director of Public Works.
EDWARD A. RAM.
EDWARD OSBORNE.
HENRY KESWICK.
HO KAI.
FRANCIS CLARK,.
Medical Officer of Health.
WEI YUK.
10th August, 1907.
With regard to para. 9 I am unable to agree with the Report. My personal experience in carrying out works upon old Chinese buildings leads me to believe that it will ́be, in a great majority of cases, impractibale-for structural reasons-or only practicable at the expense of what would almost amount to re-building.
These costly works, however provided for, must lead to a considerable increase of rentals -to be paid for out of the meagre earnings of the coolie and artizan class-and I am not satisfied that the community, and especially the poorer Chinese section of it, will profit pro- portionately by this further increase in the cost of living here.
EDWARD A. RAM.