CO129-311 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne - 1902 [5-7] — Page 238

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Chadwick's preliminary Report on the sanitation of Hongkong,

and in paragraph 4 of that Despatch I ventured to draw your

attention to the opinion expressed by Mr. Chadwick on page 34,

that nothing short of the general resumption of insanitary

tenements and their entire reconstruction would bring about

any thorough improvement in the sanitary condition of Hong-

kong; an opinion which was re-affirmed, with corollaries, in

Sections 0 to 3 of paragraph 103 of his Report. It is clear,

therefore, that if the principles laid down by Mr. Chadwick

are to be followed to their logical conclusion, it will be

necessary for this Colony to face the necessity of incurring

a very large expenditure in respect of the resumption of in-

sanitary properties; and even if such resumption is carried

out gradually, a considerable portion of the Colonial Revenues

will have to be devoted annually to that purpose. I therefore

welcomed an occasion which gave the Government an opportunity

of effecting a large resumption at moderate cost, in a locality

which is susceptible of great improvement.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient

Humble servant,

M. Gascoigne

Major-General,

Administering the Government.