CO129-450 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1918 [10-12] — Page 368

!

373

careful consideration by people with expert knowledge. A condition of affairs somewhat similar to that dealt with in Lieutenant Clitsky's report existed in the year 1894, when the first great outbreak of plague took place. Remedial measures followed that calamity, and I find that in paragraph 33 of his Despatch No. 151 of the 20th, June, 1894, the late Sir William Robinson referred to them as follows:-

"The remedy is....a very drastic one. It may "result in the destruction and re-building of one-tenth "part of Hongkong. It will certainly necessitate the "extension in every direction of houses fitted for "Chinese occupation on improved sanitary principles".

I can echo those words today with this difference that for the words "one-tenth part of Hongkong" I would substitute the words "a very considerable area in the centre of the City of Victoria", in fact practically all the area edged red and much of the area edged green on the plan referred to in paragraph 4. I enclose a photograph of this area taken from Bonham Road at a height of about 200 feet above sea-level, and also a series of photographs of houses in this district, and of certain houses referred to in Lieutenant Olitsky's report. From time to time tentative schemes for constructing new and wider roads on easy gradients have been draw up in the Public Works Department which would necessitate the pulling dow of numbers of houses in this area, and such roads are more necessary than ever now owing to the develop- -ment of motor-traffic. Some form of Standing Commission with ample funds for resumptions, removal of buildingo, forming the new roads and re-selling the land would I imagine be the most efficacious method of proceeding, but as I have already remarked I do not propose at present to enter on this part of the subject.

9.

The latter proposition can I think be

Enclosure 2. Conciosu to (1 to 6)

I

taken