I venture to draw your Excellency's attention to the sensible views these gentlemen expressed. The Rating Chinese ventan's report dated 1st February 1879 is as follows:-
"I consulted the leading merchants on the subject of the Stain park-hong build. They are of opinion that in section VIII of Ordinance 55/1850 we have a very good and useful rule, viz., that in all buildings which are used or liable to be used, either partly or entirely, as dwelling houses, there should be brick cooking places.
"With reference to the arguments adduced in Messrs Wilson and Salway's letter, they are of opinion that, although the owner of the premises may instruct his tenants or employees to obtain their food from cook shops, there is no certainty that they will do so. On the contrary, they are of opinion that the employees on the premises would be certain to boil, at any rate their water for bathing, every evening on the premises, and that the consequence of which would be that the structure would become a nuisance to the other tenants and that the lighting of fires in such places would endanger the whole house and the surrounding houses too.
"The statement of the relative merchant that the Chinese tenants...