615
I agree to the recommendations as a means of improving the housing of the working classes but I do not agree that they, of themselves, are sufficient to eradicate Plague which in my opinion can only be effected by more frequent and thorough cleansing and by the destruction of rats and vermin.
EDWARD OSBORNE..
I am in accord with Messrs. RAM and OSBORNE, and sign the recommendation in the hope that it may bring some improvement in the future. I consider however that § 154 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance No. 1 of 1903 (as amended by Ordinances 20 and 23 of 1903) with its proviso would have properly met the case, assuming of course that the Sanitary Departinent carried out its duties in an intelligent manner.
In the past, however, the Sanitary Board by sticking closely to the letter of the law, and without taking the responsibility of exercising its judgment, has harassed the Chinese into all manner of expedients to obtain a certain amount of privacy and decency for them- selves, such expedients being far worse than the evils with which the Ordinance was intended to deal.
In support of my opinion I quote the following official reply dated 25th July, 1907, to my enquiry as to how often the terms of the proviso had been availed of :--
"The number of cases in which the Sanitary Board have recommended to the Governor in Council modifications of or exemption from the requirements of § 154 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, is as follows:-
4 Applications,
1903,
1904,
1905,
1906,
1907,
4
17
none.
"
24
"
1
There are well over 5,000 Chinese tenement houses in which cubicles are used. It would be absurd to suggest that one hard and fast rule could be usefully made applicable to them all; much more so to endeavour to enforce it.
HENRY KESWICK.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
HONGKONG, 3rd May, 1907.
SIR,-I am directed to invite the attention of the Sanitary Board to the proviso con- tained in Section 154 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance which to judge from representations recently made to Government does not appear to have been availed of by the Board to deal with the cubicle question. I am now to suggest as a practical means for giving as much latitude in the use of the cubicles as is compatible with reasonable sanitary requirements to the poorer classes of Chinese inhabiting tenement houses, that the Board by means of some of its officers institute a house to house inspection and decide what number of cubicles might reasonably be allowed to be erected and maintained in each floor, and thereafter make recommendations accordingly for modification or exemption by the Governor- in-Council.
I am, etc.,
A. M. THOMSON,
Colonial Secretary.
The Secretary,
SANITARY BOARD.