65
The simplest remedy for the over-crowding which exists is of course the enforcement of the law under Part V of the Health Ordinance, but its rigorous application in every case would probably give rise to much ill-feeling. We, therefore, recommend that any steps taken to enforce the law should be taken judiciously and gradually, though steadily. The object in view is to provide that the industrial classes of the Colony shall be housed in such a manner as will give them a reasonable chance of living healthy lives. This object is primarily in the interests of the Colony, the prosperity of which depends greatly on the health of its inhabitants, and is secondarily in the interests of the classes in question.
Viewing the question even from an ordinary financial stand-point, it has to be remembered that the sum of money that a coolie will save in the course of a year by living in an over-crowded house will in all probability be more than swallowed up by the first week's illness caused by the insanitary condition of his dwelling arising from the over-crowding therein.
7. In dealing practically with over-crowding, there are two distinct classes of houses to be considered viz.:---
(a.)-Family houses, i.e., houses in which one or more married couples live.
(b.)-Coolie houses, i.e., houses in which a number of men live together.
There need be no great difficulty in dealing fairly and successfully with the latter class. The Committee, therefore, recommend that they should be dealt with as soon as possible under the lodging-house clauses of the Health Ordinance.
If the lodging-house bye-laws are passed and judiciously but steadily enforced it is probable that before long over-crowding in coolie houses, i.e., lodging houses, will cease.
8. With regard to the A class of over-crowding, the Committee feel that this is a difficult problem to solve. In a sense it is really a more important matter than class B; for with the A class children of all ages have to be considered, and there cannot be a question about the absolute necessity of providing ample air space for the young if they are to enjoy a healthful existence. The want of adequate air space and comparatively pure air in such space is a very important factor in producing the heavy infantile mortality which the returns regularly show to take place in Victoria. Trismus Nascentium, shown regularly in the returns as the cause of death of a large number of children, is, we understand, attributed by the Medical Faculty to foul air and insanitary surroundings.
In this matter the Committee fully recognise the difficulty which would be experienced by people whose families are increasing if they had frequently to move in order to have the air space per person demanded as a minimum by the provisions of the Health Ordinance.
They recommend that the Board be authorized by the Government to abate the over-crowding existing in dwellings of this class, commencing with those where the over-crowding is greatest, and that at the same time every effort should be made to inform the people of the real nature of the danger to which they are exposing themselves and their helpless children.
The persons to whom section 68 of the Health Ordinance applies should be notified that on and after the 1st day of July, 1891, this section of the Ordinance will be enforced. There is no hardship in this. All the householder has to do is to insert a clause in the conditions under which he lets his house that the house shall not be crowded by his tenant. The same holds good with the tenant who sub-lets. If the persons to whom houses are so let then deliberately over-crowd them prosecution should follow.
9. There is this factor to be considered in dealing with over-crowding, viz.: the natural desire of every workman to reside within easy reach of his work. If cheap means of communication--such for instance as by steam-launch--between the outskirts and the central portions of the town were afforded, and if more police protection were given to the suburbs we believe that much would thereby be done to induce the migration of the working classes to the less congested parts of the City.
10. Another means for relieving the congested condition of the town is that referred to by His Excellency the Governor in his reply to some observations made by the Hon. A. P. MACEWEN in Legislative Council in December last, viz.: the removal of the brothels to the outskirts of the city. It must be remembered that it is not only the houses now used as brothels that would become vacant by the removal of their inmates to the outskirts, but also those occupied by people who for the most part exist on the money they earn in supplying the brothels with the goods required by them, i.e., restaurateurs, florists, hair-dressers, musicians, hawkers, etc., etc.
In referring to this means of relieving the congestion existing in the central districts the Committee do not feel at liberty to touch upon the moral aspect of the proposal further than to point out the evident undesirability of brothels being situated in the centre of dwellings occupied by families, nor do they consider themselves entitled to review the financial side of the question beyond stating that the rentals for brothels are considerably higher than are those of adjoining houses and that the loss to landlords would therefore only be the difference between the rentals paid by brothel keepers and those paid by respectable persons for similar accommodation. The number of floors which would, by such removal, be rendered available for the artisan class would be at least 338 capable of accommodating about 5,000 persons; and this without taking into account the houses which would be rendered vacant by those to whom we have alluded as chiefly dependent on the brothels for their livelihood.
11. The Committee regret that this report has been so much delayed. The cause of this delay has been the necessity for collecting voluminous statistics and for translating, reducing and tabulating them in order to obtain the information embodied in the report and appendices.
(Signed), N. G. MITCHELL-INNES.
N. J. EDE.
Hongkong, 15th October, 1890.
65
The simplest remedy for the over-crowding which exists is of course the enforcement of the law under Part V of the Health Ordinance, but its rigorous application in every case would probably give rise to much ill-feeling. We, therefore, recommend that any steps taken to enforce the law should be taken judiciously and gradually, though steadily. The object in view is to provide that the industrial classes of the Colony shall be housed in such a manner as will give them a reasonable chance of living healthy lives. This object is primarily in the interests of the Colony, the prosperity of which depends greatly on the health of its inhabitants, and is secondarily in the interests of the classes in question.
Viewing the question even from an ordinary financial stand-point, it has to be remembered that the sum of money that a coolie will save in the course of a year by living in an over-crowded house will in all probability be more than swallowed up by the first week's illness caused by the insanitary condition of his dwelling arising from the over-crowding therein.
7. In dealing practically with over-crowding, there are two distinct classes of houses to be considered viz.:---
(a.)-Family houses, ie., houses in which one or more married couples
live.
(b.)-Coolie houses, ie., houses in which a number of men live together.
There need be no great difficulty in dealing fairly and successfully with the latter class. The Committee, therefore, recommend that they should be dealt with as soon as possible under the lodging-house clauses of the Health Ordinance.
If the lodging-house bye-laws are passed and judiciously but steadily enforced it is probable that before long over-crowding in coolie houses, ie., lodging houses, will cease.
8. With regard to the A class of over-crowding, the Committee feel that this is a difficult problem to solve. In a sense it is really a more important matter than class B; for with the A class children of all ages have to be considered, and there cannot be a question about the absolute necessity of providing ample air space for the young if they are to enjoy a healthful existence. The want of adequate air space and comparatively pure air in such space is a very important factor in pro- ducing the heavy infantile mortality which the returns regularly show to take place in Victoria. Trismus Nascentium, shown regularly in the returns as the cause of death of a large number of children, is, we understand, attributed by the Medical Faculty to foul air and insanitary surroundings.
In this matter the Committee fully recognise the difficulty which would be experienced by people whose families are increasing if they had frequently to move in order to have the air space per person demanded as a minimum by the provisions of the Health Ordinance.
They recommend that the Board be authorized by the Government to abate the over-crowding existing in dwellings of this class, commencing with those where the over-crowding is greatest, and that at the same time every effort should be made to inform the people of the real nature of the danger to which they are exposing themselves and their helpless childr.n.
The persons to whom section 68 of the Health Ordinance applies should be notified that on and after the 1st day of July, 1891, this section of the Ordinance will be enforced. There is no hardship in this. All the householder has to do is to insert a clause in the conditions und r which he lets his house that the house shall not be crowded by his tenant. The same olds good with the tenant who sub-lets. If the persons to whom houses are so let then deliberately over-crowd them prosecution should follow.
9. There is this factor to be considered in dealing with over-crowding, viz.: the natural desire of every workman to reside within easy reach of his work. If cheap means of communication--such for instance as by steam-launch-between the outskirts and the central portions of the town were afforded, and if more police protection were given to the suburbs we believe that much would thereby be done to induce the migration of the working classes to the less congested parts of the City.
10. Another means for relieving the congested condition of the town is that referred to by His Excellency the Governor in his reply to some observations made by the Hon. A. P. MACEWEN in Legislative Council in December last, viz.: the removal of the brothels to the outskirts of the city. It must be remembered that it is not only the houses now used as brothels that would become vacant by the removal of their inmates to the outskirts, but also those occupied by people who for the most part exist on the money they earn in supplying the brothels with the goods required by them, ie., restaurateurs, florists, hair-dressers, musicians, hawkers, etc., etc.
In referring to this means of relieving the congestion existing in the central districts the Committee do not feel at liberty to touch upon the moral aspect of the proposal further than to point out the evident undesirability of brothels being situated in the centre of dwellings occupied by families, nor do they consider them- selves entitled to review the financial side of the question beyond stating that the rentals for brothels arc considerably higher than are those of adjoining houses and that the loss to landlords would therefore only be the difference between the rentals paid by brothel keepers and those paid by respectable persons for similar accoinmo- dation. The number of floors which would, by such removal, be rendered available for the artizan class would be at least 338 capable of accommodating about 5,000 persons; and this without taking into account the houses which would be rendered vacant by those to whom we have alluded as chiefly dependent on the brothels for their livelihood.
11. The Committee regret that this report has been so much delayed. The cause of this delay has been the necessity for collecting voluminous statistics and for translating, reducing and tabulating them in order to obtain the information embodied in the report and appendices.
(Signed), N. G. MITCHELL-INNES.
N. J. EDE.
Hongkong, 15th October, 1890.
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