(b). From a health point of view.
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The rooms themselves are amply large but the ventilation of the
imer quarters (the two sets of rooms furthest from the sea) is
bad: Your Committee is informed that the smell, heat and flies in
sumer are unbearable.
From its shut in position at sea-level and blocked on three sides
by poor Chinese tenements the situation seems very unsatisfactory.
With regard to 0.
There is nothing to be said in favour of the actual
disposition of the force.
Under the arrangements which existed the whole station
was completely abandoned at night to the charge of one Constable who could not have very quickly obtained help from the other
members of the force oring to their living out. The arms,
ammamition, safe, records, indeed the whole Station was thus at the mercy of anyone who surprised and overpowered the one Indian
Constable.
11. The grounds on which the Cautain "uperintendent
seeks to exculpate himself.
lle says that a married 3ergeant was stationed on
the Island for several years: i.e. since 1903:
that after one summer the couple were allowed to live away from the station, i.e. they commenced this practice in
1905:
that he is sure that ne oblained Covernment authori- -ty for this action but that he is unable to show any such autnori-
-ty:
that the reason why the married couple were sent
to the Island was because quarters elsewhere were short; and that the reason why they could not reside in the Island Station Quar- -ters during the sumer was on account of the heat.
It appears to your Committee that it was probably
inadvisable
1