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Colony the European population resided on the upper levels of the
western part of Victoria, and the gradual encroachment of Chinese
within this area led to the passing of the European District
Reservation Ordinance of 1888, the preamble of which reads:-
"Whereas the health and comfort of Europeans in a tropical climate
demands conditions which are inconsistent with the neighbourhood of
houses crowded with occupants and otherwise used after the manner customary with the Chinese inhabitants, and whereas the influx of Chinese into the Colony tends constantly to narrow the area of the
City of Victoria where such conditions are attainable, and it is desirable to reserve by law a district wherein such conditions may
be secured".
4.
It will be seen that the framers of this enactment
had in view the housing of the European population; but as it dealt with the type of house only, with no restriction as to the nationality of the occupants, the Chinese and latterly the Japanese have gradually permeated the district, until at the present day they occupy practically every house within it.
of the Europeans who were thus displaced those who
From could afford it migrated to the Peak, the rest to Kowloon, the Peak the European cannot be ousted, but residence there is
In Kowloon the larger-pursed available only for the well-to-do. Oriental has already begun his invasion of the houses which were
built with a view to occupation by Europeans.
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6.
There is a large and growing demand for some area
J
on the lower levels, reasonably accessible to the business centre of the Colony, within which Europeans may live separately, accord- ing to their own habita and customs, with their children free from asso ciation with children trained to a different standard of con- duct and morality: a point which is emphasised in Sir Henry May's } confidential despatch of the 23rd August, 1916, regarding the Peak
The matter is a difficult and delicate one to handle. The opposition to be expected from the Chinese is foreshadowed in
School.
their
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