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The supervision of the sanitary work in the villages of Hong Kong and in Kowloon City and Sham Shui Po is done by the Police Inspectors in their respective districts.
The Inspectors in Kowloon work under the personal direction and supervision of the Assistant Medical Officer of Health.
Owing to the general improvement in the sanitary condition of the Colony and to the simplification of the methods of dealing with Plague cases and Plague-infected houses since the publication of the final Report of the Indian Plague Commission in 1908, it has been found possible to reduce the number of Sanitary Inspectors by the abolition of the five special Plague Inspectors, whose duties are now performed by the District Inspectors.
# GENERAL SANITARY CONDITION
In connection with anti-plague measures to render as far as possible houses rat-proof, 391 ground surfaces in houses have been repaired and 1,048 buildings have had rat-runs filled up with cement. In addition, 20 basements illegally inhabited have been vacated, while permits for the use of 19 basements and for 40 basement kitchens have been issued.
An open space in the rear has been provided to one existing house, while exemption from the provision of a yard has been granted in the case of 568 houses and modification in the case of 420 houses erected previous to 1899. Obstructions have been removed from backyards, under notice, in 274 houses. Nuisance notices to the number of 1,951 have been issued during the year.
In addition to the above improvements carried out under the supervision of the Sanitary Department, various other permanent improvements have been effected by the Public Works Department. These include the training of nullahs to the extent of 792 feet, and the building of public latrines in the village of Wong Nei Cheong, in Kennedy Road and in Chuk Hing Lane in the City, and at Tai Kok Tsui (Kowloon).
A considerable improvement is always taking place in the matter of scavenging lanes, but the full effect of the Ordinance in this respect will not be noticeable for a considerable number of years. Nevertheless, the total area of lanes obtained for scavenging purposes during the year has been 11,450 sq. ft., the length being 1,756 ft., while a further area of 7,906 sq. ft. was resumed for the construction of a new roadway.
During the year, one well, the water of which was unsatisfactory, was closed.