December 14, 1903.]
constructed then there would be a hardship if no cubicles were to be allowed.
H18 EXCELLENCY-In that case we would never get rid of cubicles at all.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI replied that by increasing the thickness of the walls and providing a 13 feet backyard for external air a 60 feet room would have only two rooms. What about the central portion of a house fronting the street and opening upon the external air in the rear. They could not have side windows, nor central rooms, yet cubicles must exist in such houses. At the present time two cubicles could exist but in a new house or one being re-erected it would be impossible to have any cubicles at all. There would be one room from one end to the other. The DIRECTOR OF POBLIC WORKS pointed out that the provisions of the Ordinance entailed a very important modification of the arrangements of existing houses, because they only permitted kitchens to be erected over half of the extent of the house, and quarter of the entire area must be left unbuilt
upon. There-
fore an important modification would be made in the reconstruction of such houses if once de- molished. If the city as it existed to-day was ever to be improved there must be some pro- vision like this which would prevent these houses having windowless cubicles. Otherwise the city would remain forever as it now was.
HIS EXCELLENCY remarked that Section 153 really covered, or was intended to cover, houses burned down or pulled down and built up again; otherwise you would go on building up the same old insanitary class of houses. The words the hon. member had objected to were put in because the question arose whether the section covered re-erected houses. He thought that what the Director of Public Works had pointed out was only reason-able.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI asked the Director of Public Works to give the Committee an ides, if private houses such as business hongs in Bonham Strand, some measuring 80 feet, had been pulled down or burned down, whether it would be possible to rebuild them and have cubicles ?
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS thought that was sufficiently covered by the proviso to the section. Powers of modification as wide as they could make them were given to deal with all cases that occurred. He should think the Board would exercise its powers of modification in such cases as had been in licated.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-I am quite satisfied. H18 EXCELLENCY-I think the bon. member may rest assured that where a strict enforce ment of the Section would inflict unnecessary hardship in purely business premises modifica- tion will be granted.
The Sub-section was passed.
In Section 154 (5) under Part III (19) it was proposed that no cubicle shall have a less floor area than 64 square feet.
Hon. Dr. Ho Kar held that it should be made either 50 feet or 100 feet, as 64 feet was too much for one and not enough for two,
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY pointed out that there was nothing to prevent it being made 100 feet.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS COR- sidered that the 64 feet should stand. Each person, in the case of a floor which was not sub- divided, required 50 feet, and if a room was going to be divided up into cubicles he thought it only reasonable that they should provide extra space.
HIS EXCELLENCY asked the Director of Public Works whether in calculating the num- ber of people that could occupy a floor divided up into cubicles, calculation would be made for the floor as a whole and not for each seperate cubicle.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied that he had no recollection of that question having arisen.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI remarked that if two or three persons were found occupying the same cubicle the Sanitary Board would have some- thing to say about overcrowding.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI did not press his point but remarked that there was a great difference between two or three persons crowding together into a partially closed-up oubicle and lying together in the corner of an open room.
The section was passed without alteration. All the other new sections which were con- sidered were approved.
UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS,
The ATTORNEY-GENEKAL moved that the house go into committee on the Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide for the Recovery of Charges incurred by the Colony on account of certain undesirable persons introduced into the Colony,
Hon. Sir PAUL CHATER asked that considera. the Chamber of Commerce, he understood, had tion of the Bill be postponed as the member for been asked to make a few comments upon it when he returned from the North.
This was
agreed to.
433
$85,600 in aid of the votes Public Works Annually Recurrent, and Public Works Ex- traordinary, for the following items :---
...$8,300 2,700
Public Works, Annually Recurrent. Maintenance of buildings Maintenance of telegraphs Maintenance of telegraphs in
New Territory Miscellaneous works
600 ...13,500
Maintenance of roads in City 5,500 Maintenance of roads outside City 2,000 Maintenance of roads in Kowloon 2,100 Maintenance of sewers, nullaus, &c., 1,500 Miscellaneous Services...
2,000 2,200 300
Gas lighting, City of Victoria Extensions of gas lighting... Drainage works, miscellaneons... 18,700 Maintenance of water-works, City
and Hill District
...13,500
Public Work, Extraordinary. The Council adjourned till Monday, 14th Public bath-house, Cross Lane, December.
Warchai...
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council-the Acting Colonial Secretary (Hon. A. M. Thomson) presiding.
POST OFFICE EXPENSES.
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $28,750 in aid of the vote Post Office, under | Other Charges, for the following items:-
(1) Cost of Stamps
$ 8,000 (2) Contribution to Mail Subsidy... 5,250 (3) Transit Charges...
15,500
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL Was of opinion that if two men lay in that room and chose to lie alongside each other they would still be inside the rules.
HIS EXCELLENOY-This 64 feet requirement is based on folo custom." If it is disturbed a size of cubicle that may not be so convenient may be the result.
Total...
..$28,750
The CHAIRMAN said that new stamps had cost a great deal more than had been anticipated. The subsidy had risen owing to the low exchange in the early part of the year. Transit charges were also larger partly owing to that fact and partly to the increase in business.
The vote was agreed to.
PRINTING THE ORDINANCE.
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $4,000 in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Services, Printing, as a first instalment of the cost of the revised edition of Ordinauces.
The CHAIRMAN stated that a certain amount of the work had been done by the Government printors and they had asked for an advance on the contract.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI asked when the work was likely to be ready.
The CHAIRMAN replied that he could not guarantee a time.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-It is only up to 1900 P The CHAIRMAN—1901.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-By the time it is ready we will want a new edition.
The vote was passed.
LAND REGISTRY VOTE.
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $955 in aid of the vote Land Registry Office for the following:-
For New Territories.--Personal Emoluments.
Assistant Land Officer, 11th November
to 31st December Assistant Land Officer, Exchange
Compensation
$500
400
$900
50
...$950
Other Charges. Travelling Allowance to Assistant
Land Officer
Total...
The CHAIRMAN stated that this vote was rendered necessary by the appointment of Mr. Messer as Assistant Land Officer on 11th November.
Approved.
POLICE LAUNCHES AND BOATS.
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,300 in aid of the vote Police under Other Charges for the item repairs of launches and
boats.
The vote was passed.
PUBLIC WORKS.
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of
Public latrines aud urinals... Rain-storm damage
Total,
72,900
500
3,500 8,700
12,700
$85,600
The CHAIRMAN said that he understood the original total estimate in this case for last year would not be exceeded.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS explained that on the annually recurrent and extraordinary expenditure there would be a very large balance of about $250,000 on the gross amount. Public works recurrent would be exceeded to the extent of some 856,000 and there would a saving on public works extraordinary or unexpended balances of about $300,000. With regard to the public works annually recurrent the principal items in which the expenditure was incurred were those that were really not of the ordinary recur. reat type; miscellaneous works, for example, for the provision of structures of various sorts that there was almost a certain demand for during the course of any year, butfor which there were no separate rotes. It was the same way with drainage works miscellaneous, it
appeared in public works recurrent but it consisted largely in training of nullahs and extending of drains in various parts of the city and Kowloon on account of the new areas built upon during recent years, A large part of it was due to training of nullahs which he thought hon. mem. bers would agree was a very desirable work to carry on. In the case of the maintenance of waterworks, this was due a good deal to the increased cost of pamping, including that at Tytamtak.
The vote was passed.
SECRET SERVICE,
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,000 in aid of the vote Police under Other Charges, for the item. Secret Service.
The CHAIRMAN said this was on account of a special case. It was obvious that no further explanation could be given.
The vote was approved. This was all the business.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
SPECIAL MEETING.
A special meeting of the Sanitary Board was held at 12.30p.m. yesterday to consider what stepa would be taken in connection with the outbreak of rinderpest among the cattle at Kennedy's Dairy. Present:-H...n. Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil Medical Officer (president); Colonel W. E. Webb, Hon. A. W. Brewin, Mr. A. Ramjaho, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock, Secretary.
Dr Atkinson said that he thought it reces- sary to call a special meeting as he had received a report from the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon that seven more cattle had died of the disease at Kennedy's Stables, making eight deaths in all. There was no doubt, he said, that the disease was highly infectious, and probably the whole of the herd would become infected. The herd numbered fifty-five, sight of which had died, forty-two are at present sick, leaving five of the herd still uninfected. Taking into con- sideration the fact that the Dairy is also a stab'es, with a large number of people continually com- ing and going, the risk of infection, thought the President, was very great. Under the Sanitary