22237
463
24. In our opinion it will be disastrous to the future sanitary condition of Victoria if steps are not immediately taken to prevent the further erection of insanitary dwellings in the City.
The effect of the want of control in that direction is well exemplified by the blocks of buildings present being erected on the site of the old Victoria Hotel, and on the east side of Cochrane Street between Wellington Street and Stanley Street.
The houses in these two blocks are all back-to-back, and will be in no respect better lighted or ventilated than the houses referred to in the Colonial Surgeon's Report of 15th April, 1874, and which he strongly condemned when he wrote "in future no houses should be built without sufficient yard space at the back, and in no case should they be built back-to-back.”
COPY.
In their report of the 29th of June, 1894, the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board advised "that in any Ordinance to be passed the erection of blocks of houses back-to-back shall be absolutely prohibited, and that every house to be hereafter built shall be required to have at the back or one end of it an open public scavenging lane." In the same report we find it stated that "light and air are the best preservatives against plague"--an opinion which we most fully endorse, and we say that until means are adopted to thoroughly and effectually light and ventilate the dwellings of the teeming population of this City, so long may we look to the recurrence of the scourge which has already cost the community so much, and which will, as long as its visitations continue, always seriously injure the prosperity of the Colony.
25. In conclusion, we would express the strong opinion that the height of buildings in relation to the width of the streets upon which they front, as provided for in section 12 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, is in excess of what can be regarded as sanitary, and we strongly recommend that this section be repealed and that in lieu thereof, it be enacted that no domestic building to be erected in future shall exceed in height one and a half times the width of the street upon which such building fronts, and that the width of any street shall be measured from the building lines, as defined by the Director of Public Works, on either side of such street, and at right angles to such line or lines.
The surface-crowding in Victoria is already excessive, especially in the central portion of the city, and we notice with apprehension the tendency to increase the height of buildings on re-erection.
Unless the height of buildings at present authorised, and which we consider excessive, is curtailed, the sanitary condition of the city, even with the enforcement of the open spaces we have recommended, will be little improved, for the increased height of buildings will discount the wider spaces at their rear.
We have the honour to be,
Honourable T. SERCOMBE SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
Sir,
Your obedient Servants,
J. M. ATKINSON,
F. H. MAY.
R. D. ORMSBY.
A. W. BREWIN.
F. W. CLARK.
Sir,
RECE
Res 21 AUG 29
Sanitary Board Offices,
Hong-Kong, 7th September, 1898.
In reply to your letter numbered 1720 of the 20th ultimo, we have the honour to return herewith the Bill for the amendment of the closed houses and insanitary dwellings Ordinance of 1894 with some few additions.
(2) Section 4 (e) has been amended by the addition of the last paragraph which had been omitted in error. It occurs in Section 8 (1) of Ordinance 15 of 1894, which is to be repealed by this Ordinance.
(3) Section (a) has been amended so as to require the provision of a larger open space in the case of houses to be erected in future than is required in the case of existing houses. If, however, a lane is provided, the space required would remain the same as in the original draft.
(4) The members of the Board have taken the opportunity to examine certain domestic dwellings which have been recently erected and which have approximately the open space in the rear suggested by the Board in its letter of June 9th, 1898.
(5) The inspection produced on the minds of the members a feeling that the original recommendations of the Board are inadequate for dwellings to be erected in future.
(6) When putting forward those recommendations, the Board were anxious, as explained in the concluding portion of para. 25 of their report of the 9th of June, to see adopted, if possible, one set of regulations for the provision of open space in the rear of all dwellings that do not come under the...
The Hon. T. Sercombe Smith,
Ag. Colonial Secretary.
T
22237
463
24. In our opinion it will be disastrous to the future sanitary condition of Victoria if steps are not immediately taken to prevent the further erection of insanitary dwellings in the City.
The effect of the want of control in that direction is well exemplified by the blocks of buildings present being erected on the site of the old Victoria Hotel, and on the east side of Cochrane Street between Wellington Street and Stanley Street.
The houses in these two blocks are all back-to-back, and will be in no respect better lighted ventilated than the houses referred to in the Colonial Surgeon's Report of 15th April, 1874. and which strongly condemned when he wrote in future no houses should be built without sufficient yard space a the back, and in no caso should they be built back-to-back.”
COPY.
พ
In their report of the 29th of June, 1894, the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board advised "that in any Ordinance to be passed the erection of blocks of houses back-to-back shall be absolutely. prohibited, and that every house to be hereafter built shall be required to have at the back or one end of it an open public scavenging lane." In the same report we find it stated that "light and air are the be preservatives against plague "--an opinion which we most fully endorse, and we say that until meats are adopted to thoroughly and effectually light and ventilate the dwellings of the teeming population of this City, so long may we look to the recurrence of the scourge which has already cost the community sa much, and which will, as long as its visitations continue, always seriously injure the prosperity of the Colony.
25. In conclusion, we would express the strong opinion that the height of buildings in relation to the width of the streets upon which they front, as provided for in section 12 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, is in excess of what can be regarded as sanitary, and we strongly recommend that this section be repealed and that in lieu thereof, it be enacted that no domestic building to be erected in future shall exceed in height one and a half times the width of the street upon which such building fronts, and the the width of any street shall be measured from the building lines, as defined by the Director of Public Works, on either side of such street, and at right angles to such line or lines.
The surface-crowding in Victoria is already excessive especially in the central portion of the city, and we notice with apprehension the tendency to increase the height of buildings on re-erection.
Unless the height of buildings at present authorised and which we consider excessive is curtailed, the sanitary condition of the city even with the enforcement of the open spaces we have recommended, will be httle improved, for the increased height of buildings will discount the wider spaces at their rear.
We have the honour to be.
Honourable T. SERCOMBE SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
}
Sir,
1
Your obedient Servants,
J. M. ATKINSON,
F. H. MAY.
R. D. ORMSBY.
A. W. BREWIN.
F. W. CLARK.
Sir,
RECE
Res 21 AUG 29
Sanitary Board Offices,
Hong-Kong, 7th. September, 1898.
In reply to your letter numbered 1720 of the
20th ultimo we have the honour to return herewith the Bill
for the amendment of the closed houses and insanitary dwell:
Ordinance of 1894 with some few additions.
ling
(2) Section 4 (e) has been amended by the addition
of the last paragraph which had been omitted in error. It.
occurs in Section 8 (1) of Ordinance 15 of 1894 which is to be
repealed by this ordinance.
(3) Section (a) has been amended so as to requi-
re the provision of a larger open space in the case of houses
to be erec)
cited in future then is required in the case of existe
ing houses. If however a lane is provided the space required
would remain the same as in the original draft.
(4) The members of the Board have taken the opport- tunity to examine certain domestic dwellings which have been
recently erected and which have approximately the open space
in the rear suggested by the Board in its letter of June 9th
1898.
(5) The inspection produced on the minds of the mem
bers a feeling that, the original recomendations of the Board
are #nadequate for dwellings to be erected in future.
(6) When putting forward those recommendations the
Board were anxious as explained in the concluding portion of
para: 25 of their report of the 9th, of June to see adopted if
possible one set of regulations for the provision of open
space in the rear of all dwellings that do not come under the
The Hon.T.Sercombe Smith,
Ag. Colonial Secretary.
provision
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