M 5
HOUSE CLEANSING.
The increase in Staff and other measures reported last year proved insufficient to maintain the quarterly circuit in the face of the continued building activities.
In the Eastern division of Hongkong (including Shaukiwan) just under 3 circuits were completed, in the Central division the same, in the Western Central division about 3 circuits, in the Western division about 3, and in Kowloon 3 circuits.
The totals of floors cleansed were 86,229 in Hongkong and 32,068 in Kowloon.
LIMEWASHING.
The annual limewashing of Chinese tenement houses still consumes a vast amount of time and paper with very indifferent results. The new By-law mentioned in last year's Report has enabled us to remedy specially flagrant cases of neglect, but it adds a fortnight to the prescribed period for each limewashing district and its application is attended by very considerable labour and as it must also be admitted that the change in the law has so far caused little or no improvement in the general standard of private limewashing, it would seem that the proper execution of this very important sanitary measure must be secured by other means, as in the case of the Scavenging Services.
As the complaint has frequently been made that the standard required by the Department is impossible of attainment in old, smoke-blackened floors, it will be well to record here that careful investigations during the year under review have shown that, given honest work and materials, the standard can easily be reached at a cost of from $1.50 to $2.00 per floor.
MARKETS.
No new markets were opened during the year.
A comparative table of the market rents for the past four years will be found in the report of the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon.
There is an increase of $1,800 over the total for 1916, probably due to the great influx of refugees from the neighbouring parts of China,
CONSERVANCY.
After a brief respite fresh political commotions in Kwong Tung again threw the affairs of both Conservancy Contractors into hopeless chaos. A total absence of all law and order in the Shun Tak district made transport to the depôts at Wong Lin impossible and the Contractors were therefore obliged to dump the nightsoil at sea. As the Contractors were entirely dependent on remittances from Wong Lin for payment of their local staff Government was obliged to give them financial assistance in maintaining the service in the Colony. From the 1st May it was agreed that the City Contractor