Hon. B. R. BELILIOS-Sir, I would propose as an amendment to this sootion that the floor space should be 21 square feet and the air space 300 cubic feat. I believe, sir, this question has been before the Governmout on several occasions during the last few years. If I remember right- ly, it was first mooted in Mr. Price's time, when he was in charge of the Public Works Department, and lastly it has been considered by the Housing Committee which yone Excellency kindly ap pointo to look into the matter of konso accom- modation, and I understand that Committed ad- vised the Government the space should be 21 feet of floor space and 300 feet of air space, which figures I now propose should be adopted. W. know, sir, that the Chinose are foud of fooking together like shop, and any extension or en- Jargoment of the space suggested by the Housing Committee will not be appreciated by them. Secondly, auy enlargement of this space would, I maintain, go a great way to reduce the capa city of this colony to receive and hold iuha. bitants. Thirdly, it will lead to enhancement of rent for the poorer classes. Unless therefore the Government are prepared to pat a girdle of railroad round the island, to open new sites for the socommodation of the working classes, and to trausport then to and fro with as little cost as possible both of time and money it will be like shutting our door to the influx of the labouring class from the mainland.
Hon. Ho Kar-Sir, I have much pleasure in seconding the amendment. In doing so I wish to point out that the subject of superficial area is a new one. The hon. and learned Attorney. General says we have tried 300 cabic feet and we have found it did not prevent the plagus visiting us. Now, I may point out that thongh we have tried 300 cubic foot of air space we have put tried the superficial area or floor space. That was not in the Health Bill. Of course it may be easily understood by any gentleman of this Council that without the superficial area overcrowling might still exist to a very great extent, although you may allow 300 cubic feet of sir space, or 400 feet, or even 300 feet, and cou sequently the question of superficial area has beon introduced with a view of preventing over- prowding. Now the figures proposed by my hon. friend opposite (Hon. E. R. Belios) are 21 foot of superficial area and 310 cubic feet of clear internal air space. These figures were recom. mended first by the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board and the subject then passed into the bands of the Housing Committee, of which I had the honour to be a member, and we discussed it thoroughly and confirmed the recommendation of the Permanent Cora- mittee. Now the Sanitary Board have got hold of it a second time and they hava increased the figures. I need scarooly say the Permanent Committee an the ousing Com- mittee, having had the medical evidence, did not arrive at fue conclusion they did, 300 onbio foot and 21 square feet, without a great deal of thought and deliberation, and I do not know why the matter has been re-opened, but, as the hon. and learned Attorney-General has remarked, so far as the Chinaman is concerned, he does not want that large amount of air spaco LGE the superficial area. I take it it will meet the case very well if it stands at the figures re- commended by the Pormanent Committee and the Housing Committen. It is a very seriong thing for the Chinese labourer even now to get enough in ney to pay for his high rental every mouth. It is difficult for him to find a place to sleep in at night without paying an enormous price for it, and if you now require him to rent a large space he will have to stiut himself in other directions, it may be in food or raiment, in order to pay this exorbitant charge, Plague is induced not only by filth, but by starvation and want, so we must recognise the importance of providing people with cheap lodging in order that they may be able to spare cash to buy enough food for themselves, and also that we should not drive away the labouring class on account of high rent, For these reasons I support the amendment.
The COLONIAL TREASURER.-I think as the Housing Committee has been named two or three times aud as I was chairman of that Com mittee I ought to explain that the proposat as to 21 feet floor space and 300 feet of air space was not originally drafted by the Housing Com- mittee, bat was suggested by the Permanent Committee. I may say for myself and the other members of the Housing Committee that they accepted the suggestions of the Permanent Com- mittee of the Sanitary Board as being a step in the right direction and an improvement qu the existing state of things, although I am not at all prepared to say that had the question
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been referred to us what was the proper amount of space to be allowed we should have hit on the same figures as the Permanent Committee of the Sunitury Board hit on, nor am I prepared to say that any discussion took place as to whether it would not be better to raise them to something else. All the Housing Com- mittes did was to accept these figures as some improvement on the existing state of things without going into the question whether it might not be well to raise them to something higher. I was myself under the impression that the figures had probably been worked out from schedules in the possession of the Permanent Committee of that they had some means at their disposal of finding out the proper minimum of air space, and seeing that a superficial area had been added i agreed with the rest of the Housing Committeo in recommending the proposal, but I am not prepared to say that having done so I am not prepared to agres in the views of modical men and others, that that would be too little. I am very much in favour of giving too much rather than too little, and I shall have ng hesitation in supporting this section as it now stands in spite of my agreement in the previous figures, which were smaller than the present
oyes.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY-The hon, member who has moved this amendment has given the third place to that which I think many place first, that is, the question of rent. There is no doubt the objectiou in certain quarters to any jucrease of space is the fear that rout will bo raised, There is no doubt about it that in considering this matter of cubic spaco that has taken the principal place. I myself was a member of the Sanitary Board in the early days and I remember this subject was threshed out and we almost heard almost more about rent than ab at airspace. It must be remembered that the reats in Houg koug are enormous, that the poor labouring classes are rack-rented. That is a fact that must be within the knowledge of every hon. member of this Counpil. Houses are let out and divided into cubicles, which are sub-let at exorbitant figures. The remedy therefore is to see that the rents are not raised in this manner and to tako care that poor people have the consideration the hon. member refers to and are not squeezed in space and reut. I say the poor classes should receive our consideration, and we should use every endeavour to protect their interests, and see that their
they are allowed ample space, I oppose the amendment.
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money does not go to the rack-roufer sad toit p
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I should just like to point out what the difficulty woull be. Suppose a floor covered by a number of coolies going to sleep on their backs; they are perhaps two feet across; however, I want to point out that if you cover the floor, according the old figures à man's head would be within 6 inches of the feet of the man sleeping next to him; there would be quly 6 inches of space around him. I don't think that is healthy. I think there ought to be more than 6 inches of space between won sleeping on the floor. I think that to give him 18 inches would be much better than to give him only inches.
A division was then taken, when the unofficial members voted for the amendment and the official members against. The amendment was therefore lost, and the section as it stood was passed.
Section 10.-Gives power of inspection to as- certain breaches of sections against overcrowd.
ing;,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved that the section stand part of the Bill and mentioned that the words "at any time" had been sab. stituted for "by uight or day."
The DIRECTÒ OF PUBLIC WORKS seconded. Hoa. Ho KA-I beg to move as an amend, ment that instead of the words "domestic build. ing" there be juserted the words "ooolle honse or common lodging house." This is a section which as it slands every Chinese in Hong kong will strongly oppose. The Chinese da not care to have their domestic abode in vaded at any time of the day or night without notice, and as there is an Eng lish saying that overy man's house is his castle, so the Chinaman thinks also his house should be bis oustle, There would be no objection to inspection of domestic buildings if notice wers given, and that would be an advantage, beoanva if notice were given the occupants or owners of the house would see that everything was put in order before the inspector came round, and the Government or Sanitary Board would then have their wishes carried out without any
pose to
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