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HONGKONG'S HOUSING QUESTI ON.
II. Facts and Causes of the Present Situatian.
305wJr,
Special to the Telegraphi."
13
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1919,
source of many ills), became virtual owners of large residen- tial areas. They sowed more wisely than they know. They have now reaped, and are still reaping, a rich harvest. The main point is that the moderate
returns on house property dia couraged building, when build- ing was cheap. Thus the erection,
of new houses did not keep pace
with the increase of population
an increase inevitable and calcul- uble. And thus the value of house property as an investment become automatically adjustół. And thus were borti, from the womb of cent-per-cent, the wes
FURS & CARPETS.
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FOR PARTICULARS AS TO PACKING AND KATES APPLY TO-
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be tenants
In Hongkong there was another element that worsened the situation, and this also dated from before the war-ia iset, Inun 1011, when the troubles in China first brought the rich men of Canton careering into British Hongkong for sanctuary, buying ap hoses, big and small, ai hugely inflated prices. That element has been operating now for uearly eight years, and its acedmulated effect must hy now be very formidable.
The housing troubles wece bound to come, war "òr" no war. The war has merely intensified them. When the time came that house-property 149
very
productive and not doubtful investment, with no risk what- jever of vacancy, and the builder could start to work knowing that he could get a good price for the completed stractures, he foun
Linself crippled andi rendered helpless by high
prices prices-partly Mr.legitimately enhanced by war
state a few. All, or most of them, the Hongkong Government for might be recorded with the seal having a Report of its awa. of authenticity had the Groveru for he is inten: upon aroiding ment acceded to the request to weakening his case, and not appoint a Commission of Inquiry relying upon sny factor which is But Commissions of Inquiry are fully established by inquiry too "Noaay-Parkery" for any.
It is neelless to dwell upon the thing. They discover all sorts actual facts brought out as to the of disconcerting things, and, seriousness of the housing worse than that, they actually express strong opinions on the situation, the appalling over- aul make absurd recommend-crowding in Chinatown, the difficulties and often homelessness
cerns of the common herd.
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the excitement Stuce the world bozan, proplepover with have been asking "Why?"-april until his next leave. a note of mournful complaint Maxwell is now in a position to conditions, but largely forced up rather than of cariosity, the torso promote some of the far-reaching by deliberate profiteering and "cornering" operations. The result query has rung down the ages. ensures which he had a promin- And it has seldom bu your part in recommending. And he was that to build houses became safed a reply. Residents of is having a rare fightofit, too. In financially an impossible pro- Hongkong, mensced with eviction! quarters where he ought to be Position. The outlay required| as a side-issue in a campaign able expert assistance, he is was so great that the rente
He may yet of **peaceful. penetration encountering obstacles. But one necessary to bring a reasonable general progress of the com-good business in these matters
would manity, the acreage value has may be doubted. €20 only despair if thehas a feeling that he will "wia return on the money
10 a sufficient extent sadly rue many of his bargains, worst should fall, for none through." God fuck to him, and have been fabulous-obtainable, risen
him to make a and that before very long. The can help them. Or rather, mone Singapore for shall it be added possibly, for 3 year or
but loomel to а heavy big profit by selling. Thus land ugly fact remains, however, that trill help them. "The Government ones in a way"-showing the could help them, but funks the way to Hongkong.
slump in due course, despite that might accommodate dwell at present he occupies maus the sublime indifference ofings for hundreds of people is houses formerly occupied by job. Government inaction
What follows is largely based Governments to such patty con- left undeveloped because of the British subjects, who did not as often sheer funk as it is mere the Raport of the Kaxwell
selfishness and greed of an in- wish to leave them bat could not apathy, International couplic-Commissio: The housing Again, even had the builder dividual. There is a way of engage in s rent-auction with
which эге bigera
questions of Hongkong aul (and by builder is meant the dealing with that gentlemu, too, him, and whilst he snugly the liberty of utterly paralyse Crown Colony Singapore have several points of man who baadles the speculative and No-Wanchee-Bother knows rejoices
15 administrations.
exémplified leall They
foreace, perhaps, but they have end of the operation, who is not the way. But it would cause no the subject
the to questions from the Colon
No-Wanches-sny of agreement, and in a gen- always the contractor who does end of a furore, for the land-hog in the British Empire, ial Ufice, and
eral sense the Singapore Raport the actual building) been able to is often a "great" man. The ejecte! British subjects can Botherdom simply abborsques may by considere i applicable to consider house-erection, he would publication of a list of land-hogs only wonder what would happen ions. They are such awkwar}
Hongkong-even aluost as a have baera แ bid business would cause a good deal of were British or any other alieus things to
to attempt similar processes in especially
excuss for the non-appointment ran to have done so. There astonishment. under the handicap of wask
of a Hongkong Commission.
was other work that paid better, There is, by the way, also Nagasaki or Yokohama. knees and incapacity.
If any circumstance of that thanks to submarinis. Owing the house-hog-the wealthy This is a subject upon which Why has Hongkong Report should be wrongly laid to shortage of tonnage, there man who has several establish it is impossible to mince words. housing question? The reasons to the account of Hongkong, the were great accumulations
of meals, some of which he may Plain speaking and plain writing are many, and it is possible Writer ust transfer the blame to produce and goods, and storage not occupy for more than a week fare demanded. This is a British
space was at a very high pre-in a year.
In times when houses Colony, and British subjects- min.
Golowa-building was are plentiful, and the social order whatever their colour-sboald the only kind of building really resaains as it is, this is all very have preferential treatment lovely worth while, and it was very well. But when many people are such vital matters which au closely handsomely worth while. Either hard pus to find shelter of any affect their health and happiness in reats
purchase prices, kind, it is certainly, very wrong, and domestic finances. The ques tiou may be more difficult of godown values bounded upward and should not be tolerated.
fair approach than others which have unprecedented figures, su Really, we are in much 53 that not
only way to finding a little occupation been referred to, but that is no house building
own friend No-Waachee-Jexcuse for doing nothing.
The individual Japanese who but many existing houses Bother! were converted into temporary
Finally, there is the moneyed-geta a house because he can ratile be blamed. ations which, by inference, of the salariei classes, and the godowns and the tenants driven alien question around which most the dollars is bot
Government
staguation in building operations into other already sadly over of the prevailing public agitation He is acting within the righte atrocious neglect. of its
we easy-going British These are too well-known, though crowled buildings.
revolves. At present, both in which plain daty in the past, and
Hongkong and in Singapore, the have conceded him. It is the commit the capital offence of its necessary to erumerate them
It has been said that there was alien chiefly woncerned is the old, bal law of supply and calling for the expenditure of and present statistics in such
Let us get at reasons. profiteering and cornering of Japanese. He has taken advant demand again. It is a law which of those accumulated Report.
And these reasons are not all due building materials. That is not age-like the shrewd business in this twentieth century should to that infamous scapegoat the war, difficult of proof. Bricks rose to man he is of the war procupa-be put under restraint as a It In fact one of the principal three times the price from which tion of the European nations wicked, calamitous thing.
annex much
their operates only to the advantage of However, the inquirer is able reass dass from long before the upward movement began to
in the few, and those just the few any rate to lay hold of something which the war. This is the investmout brick works are few, and "agree, trade,
ments" easy and in that item the East. Whether he has aa-who could best dispense with its cannot be cavalierly dismissed as aspect of house property. what the lawyers call "hearsey EN HOUSES WERE PLENTIFUL. alone is mufficient reason for nexed it permanently, or is were munificences. Daring the war
operations evidence." Perhaps the public of It is only a few years ago that building
beingly holding as mandatory" and it has in Europe been entirely Singapore squealed a little louder the man who bought houses, economically unsound. It was hoping that the job will be a eliminated in respect of all
with same
timber permanency,
matter of important services and than the public of Hongkong, or though he bought them cheaply,
modities. People wtih logical He was for the sawmills organised "rings," opinion.
minds want to know why on perhaps the Straite Government was dubbed a fool.
and held the market at their
INVASION. THE JAPANESE was weaker than its eastward tunate if, after paying assessment,"
It is this sort of thing
The concern of the moment is earth it needs. confrere. Whatever the reason,ajinsurance, an allotment for re- mercy. Singapore Housing Commission pairs, another for depreciation, he that in fatare must be prevented, that, following bis trade, he has stimulate common-sense. was appointed, held some thirty made five per cent. on his invest and can easily be prevented, if come to these Eastern cities in common-sense that Hongkong And even thea he still No-Waachee-Botherdom can be hundreds. Like other mortals, he properties should be sold to British subjects meetings, examined about fifty ment. witnesses of all classes and had the risk of vacancy, for in prevailed upon to bestir its more requires a bed, and a home for aliens, and
or less majestic self.
the womenfolk and budding rendered homeless? Is it even interests, and finally presented a those days-the "good old days,'
The poor speculative builder, commercial magnates whom he common justice? The average Report of most memorable and for the non-monieed classes, at any impressive character. That Re-rate-there were houses for all always anxious to build because brings along with him. Having man, who is a surprisingly the it is his livelihood, seems to have the trade, he also has the money, sagacious animal, says "No! port is the more valuable because, who wanted them, and
been hoplessly beset with and seeing a house which he in answer to both questions. We contrary to castom, the Official landlord had to take what rent members of the Commission did he could get, instead of, as now, difficulties, meeting with some faticies, he looks up the landlord, all know what No-Wanchee That is, he Botherdom says." Just precisely. eac at every turn and bribes him. not put forth their every effort to getting as much as he liked, cul de
Another of his sorrows either offers twice the rent which what it does, which is nothing. wet-blanket the inquiry. The That was why so few Europeans that he could find eminently the existing tenant is paying, or Bat it is always granted to President was the Hon. Mr.names appeared on the assess- W. George Maxwell, C.M.G, one ment rolls. Other races, who suitable sites, but could not buys the house outright at a sanguine souls to hope for IRON & STEEL PRODUCTS
[The first of this series of four of the most progressive-minded had an espacial and largely sen- acquire them, because they were ridiculous figure, which the land-miracles. members of the Government timental prelilection for house held by that parasite of all com lord, being human, would be a
articles, specially written for the services of Malaya-aman property as a symbol of wealth munities, the land-hog-the man fool to refuse.
This article has kept harking Hongkong Telegraph, appeared in unafraid of new ideas, and in bo (sach is certainly the case with who buys a plot of land, and then sense of the traditional type of the Arabs of the Straitsor of site tight on it until, by no efforts back to the ethics of good Wednesday's paper. The third, Colonial servant whose chief Arabia, for down south the of his own, but by those of neigh-business. Whether own gallant dealing with possible remedial landlord the bouring land owners, and the Ally of the Rising Sun is doing measures, will appear on Monday.] ambition seems to be to" tide absentee
convict
the
لاي
some balances which look as comfort- ing in budget statements.
THE SINGAPORE COMMISSION,
a
HOW THE PROFITERES SCORED.
the
31
of
is a
11
11
com-
3 war to Is it
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