389
F
!
8. The importance of housing the Police Force suitably is one that should not be overlooked, and the provision of quarters for the married members of the Force should be made as soon as practicable. Meantime we welcome the proposal to erect a Police Station for the Western District, which has long been greatly needed.
9. Another work of the most urgent importance for the well-being of the Colony is the provision of adequate Latrine accommodation throughout the City, which we regard as one of the measures to be adopted for combating Plague. We are of opinion that at least Six Latrines should be proceeded with at once, two of which should be for women. There can be no doubt that such provision will tend to make the houses of the poor more wholesome, and will thus have a salutary effect on the health of the community generally.
10. Two minor works which we desire to see carried out without delay are the completion of the improvements of the Recreation Ground at Happy Valley, and the provision of a proper Chair Shelter at the Peak.
11. As regards the former, a considerable area of land has been sold in recent years in the immediate neighbourhood, on which houses have been built, and the improvements referred to will, it is hoped, tend to overcome the Malaria, for which this district has had a bad reputation in the past, besides rendering the ground available for purposes of recreation.
12. The Chair Shelter may be said to be a necessity from a humanitarian point of view. In the City, coolies can generally find refuge from sun or rain beneath the numerous verandahs and trees, and at Kowloon a Shelter has been in existence for some years; but at the Peak, where the effects of the weather are much more severely felt than elsewhere, there is absolutely no protection whatever except what is provided by the present open matshed.
13. The desirability of at once proceeding with the construction of the new Law Courts has been alluded to in His Excellency's speech. Seeing that this work will take several years to complete, it cannot be too strongly urged that the work should be put in hand immediately.
The projected new Post Office is even more urgently needed. We are of opinion that this work should on no account be delayed until the completion of the new Law Courts, but that its construction should be commenced at the same time if possible.
14. We are pleased to note that there is a likelihood of the Jubilee Road being proceeded with ere long—a work which we regard as of considerable importance in providing an outlet for the ever-growing population.
15. With these large and important Public Works in prospect, irrespective of those required in the New Territory, we view with concern His Excellency's remarks regarding the Staff of the Public Works Department. It is stated in His Excellency's speech that the Estimates provide $96,000 more than was expended by the Department on Extraordinary Public Works in 1898, but these Estimates provide only a moiety of the sums which we consider should be expended to enable the works referred to being carried out with despatch, whilst some of them are totally unprovided for.
16. In view of this we are surprised to find, that notwithstanding the great amount of additional work which must be entailed on this Department by the New Territory, the Public Works Department Estimates actually show a diminished expenditure as compared with 1899. We are still further surprised to find that the contemplated reduction is in the Engineering Staff which is surely rather in need of augmentation on His Excellency's own showing.
3
17. When we consider that in 1890 a sum of $94,420 was voted for this Department as compared with $91,402 in the Estimates under consideration, we are still further convinced of the inadequacy of the Staff.
18. That this Department, with which the vital interests of the Colony as regards sanitation, water supply, and development generally are so inseparably bound up, should undergo reduction at such a time, we consider a serious matter, and we earnestly urge upon His Excellency to take immediate steps to put the Department on a footing commensurate with its extended duties.
19. We would suggest to His Excellency the desirability of appointing a Committee to investigate and report on the question of the staff of the Public Works Department, and we make this proposal because, as we have already stated, the policy hitherto has been to starve our Public Works, and we recognize the importance of providing a Staff sufficient to carry on the large works now impending.
HONGKONG, 17th November, 1899.
Hotai
IN Baltios
I. Meswick
389
F
!
8. The importance of housing the Police Force suitably is one that should not be overlooked, and the provision of quarters for the married members of the Force should be made as soon as practicable. Meantime we welcome the proposal to erect a Police Station for the Western District, which has long been greatly needed.
9. Another work of the most urgent importance for the well-being of the Colony is the provision of adequate Latriue accommodation throughout the City, which we regard as one of the measures to be adopted for combating Plague. We are of opinion that at least Six Latrines should be proceeded with at once, two of which should be for women. There can be no doubt that such provision will tend to make the houses of the poor more wholesome, and will thus have a salu- tary effect on the health of the community generally.
10. Two minor works which we desire to see carried out without delay are the completion of the improvements of the Recreation Ground at Happy Valley, and the provision of a proper Chair Shelter at the Peak.
11. As regards the former, a considerable area of land has been sold in recent years in the immediate neighbourhood, on which houses have been built, and the improvements referred to will, it is hoped, tend to overcome the Malaria, for which this district has had a bad reputation in the past, besides rendering the ground available for purposes of recreation.
12. The Chair Shelter may be said to be a necessity from a bumanitarian point of view. In the City, coolies can generally find refuge from sun or rain beneath the numerous verandahs and trees, and at Kowloon a Shelter has been in existence for some years; but at the Peak, where the effects of the weather are much more severely felt than elsewhere, there is absolutely no protection whatever except what is provided by the present open matshed.
13. The desirability of at once proceeding with the construction of the new Law Courts has been alluded to in His Excellency's speech. Seeing that this work will take several years to complete, it cannot be too strongly urged that the work should be put in band immediately.
The projected new Post Office is even more urgently needed. We are of opinion that this work should on no account be delayed until the completion of the new Law Courts, but that its construction should be commenced at the same time if possible.
14. We are pleased to note that there is a likelihood of the Jubilee Road being procceded with ere long-a work which we regard as of considerable importance in providing an outlet for the evergrowing population.
15. With these large and important Public Works in prospect, irrespective of those required in the New Territory, we view with concern His Excellency's remarks regarding the Staff of the Public Works Department. It is stated in His Excellency's speech that the Estimates provide $96,000 more than was expended by the Department on Extraordinary Public Works in 1898, but these Estimates provide only a moiety of the sums which we consider should be expended to enable the works referred to being carried out with despatch, whilst some of them are totally unprovided for.
16. In view of this we are surprised to find, that notwithstanding the great amount of additional work which must be entailed on this Department by the New Territory, the Public Works Department Estimates actually show a diminished expenditure as compared with 1899. We are still further surprised to find that the contemplated reduction is in the Engineering Staff which is surely rather in need of augmentation on His Excellency's own showing.
3
17. When we consider that in 1890 a sum of $94,420 was voted for this Department as compared with $91,402 in the Estimates under consideration, we
Staff. present are still further convinced of the inadequacy of the
18. That this Department, with which the vital interests of the Colony as regards sanitation, water supply, and development generally are so inseparably bound
up, should undergo reduction at such a time, we consider a serious matter, and we earnestly urge upon His Excellency to take immediate steps to put the Department on a footing commensurate with its extended duties.
19. We would suggest to His Excellency the desirability of appointing a Committee to investigate and report on the question of the staff of the Public Works Department, and we make this proposal because, as we have already stated, the policy hitherto has been to starve our Public Works, and we recognize the import- ance of providing a Staff sufficient to carry on the large works now impending.
HONGKONG, 17th November, 1899.
Hotai
IN Baltios
I. Meswick
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