CO129-481 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [8-12] — Page 368

Improving

And extending commanica- tiatus,

Efficient irensport service and

cheap fares,

British

residents on middle levels of Island.

Pesk

Tramway.

Sub-Head (2)-Improvement and Extension of Communications with Outlying Districts.

* 19. As steps towards the opening up of undeveloped areas, in order to increase housing accommodation, and to ease the congestion in the crowded parts of the City, we recommend that prompt action be taken by the Government-

(1) To speed up the completion of the road from Wongneichung Gap to Repulse Bay, which will halve the distance from the City of Victoria to Repulse Bay, and will also open up good building sites between Wongneichung Gap and Repulse Bay.

(2) To push on with the projected motor-roads in the Kowloon

Peninsula.

(3) To construct as soon as possible a tramway from Stone Nullah Lane to Wanchai Gap in order to open up the Mount Cameron listrict which, we understand, will provide sites for some fi separate houses. These sites should be marked out on a plan which should be published by the Public Works Department. (This neighbourhood cannot, in our opinion, be adequately dev- eloped by motor traffic, because—

() Many residents have not sufficient means to enable them

to keep motor cars;

(7) Motor traffic cannot (to quote the words of II.E. the Governor at page 137 of the Hongkong Hansarı for 1921 with reference to this Wanchai Gap Tramway) supply the "necessary cheap and rapid transit at re- gular intervals to a central point", besides being liable to stoppage in heavy rains; and

(277) Such a tramway will tend to relieve the Peak Tramway.

(4) To provide tram-services in Kowloon and its foothills.

(5) To encourage the extension and improvement of motor-bus services

in Hongkong, Kowloon and the New Territories.

(6) To provide improved ferry-services to both sides of the Kowloon

Peninsula, and to Cheungchau.

(7) To arrange, if possible, for a reduction of ferry-fares. If existing ferry companies cannot be induced to reduce their charges, reduction of fares should be made a condition for the renewal of current concessions, or for the grant of new concessions.

* 20. In connection with the improvement and extension of the tram, ferry and motor-Inus services, we think that the Government should aim at efficiency and cheap service rather than at raising revenue.

21. As regards recommendation (3) in paragraph 19, the Commissioners see a state of affairs rapidly approaching on the middle levels of Hongkong Island, which is of a serious character from the point of view of diminishing 'Kingsclere' has the present accommodation available for British residents. recently been purchased by a Chinese syndicate with the result that some 50 It seems likely, to 60 British residents will shortly be rendered homeless. too, that other boarding-houses in the neighbourhood of Kingsclere", which are occupied mainly by British guests, will, when the Rents Ordinance lapses, cease to exist. Under these circumstances the obvious remedy is to look for outlets for building on the higher levels; and the Mount Cameron district, when opened up as suggested in paragraph 19, will be a suitable place for the purpose.

* 22. Whilst we wish to congratulate the Peak Tramway Company upon the relief to the Peak traffic afforded by the recent inauguration of several non-stop trams, we would recommend, in the interests of the dwellers on the

middle levels, that the question be thoroughly investigated by the Govern ment of the practicability of serving the Bowen and May Road levels by two different (covered-in) sections of moving platforma or staircases, one from the bottom Tram Station or thereabouts to Bowen Road, and the other from Bowen Road to May Road.

Sub-Head (3)--Encouragement of Building, awl Government Facilities. 23. In addition to the suggestions under the head Decreasing the Cost of Housing Accommodation' (see paragraphs 66 to 107), Measures for we make the following recommen‹lations.

Government Incilitics for bogging

* 24. The evidence before us (see paragraph 5) shows that further building labour cannot be attracted to this Colony, unless provision is made for housing such labourers at a moderate rental; and accordingly building- it is of paramount importance to secure the cheap housing of workmen engaged in the building trades. We, therefore, recommend that the Government should afford assistance to house Chinese workmen engaged in the building trades by-

(1) Granting land cheap to persons on condition that they build tene- ment-houses ready for occupation by workmen engaged in the building trades, within a period of 6 months or the shortest period practicable.

(2) Allowing to building contractors facilities for more workmen's matsheds near the building works on which they are engaged.

(3) Allowing workmen to live on the ground-floors of Chinese tene- ment-houses which they are erecting, when the second-floor is being built, and so on (see Mr. White's evidence at page 2 iu Enclosure 8 (3) ).

* 25. We also recommend that the Government build, in various districts, and rent out at cheap rents, houses for the occupation of Chinese workmen engaged in the building trades. From the answers which we have received to question I (6) in our circular letter of the 9th April, 1923, (Enclosure 1), there seems to be little doubt that, if only sufficient accommodation were provided for labourers in the building trades at reasonable rents, a sufficient supply of skilled labourers for building would be willing to come into the Colony. On this point the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce say, in their letter (39) in Enclosure 1: "There is no scarcity of skilled labourers, and procuration of more such is not difficult, but the labourers in the interior of China would always hesitate before coming to Hongkong, considering the high rent and the high cost of living here. Later on in the same letter the Chamber state: "This Chamber is strongly of the opinion that the Government should be urged to build two or three hundred houses in each of the following districts, namely, Causeway Bay, Kennedy Town, Yaunati and Mongkoktsui, etc.; and also extend the tramlines so as to make them easily accessible. The Government could build these houses at a cost of $4,000 to $5,000 each, reckoning on a 5% or 6% return, each house could be let at $20 to $30 a month. Thus the middle class and the working class inhabitants in the Colony will be rescued from the hardship of paying high and excessive rent, and simultaneously the rent in the whole Colony will be restored to its normal condition. My Committee cannot too strongly emphasize the fact that this would be the only solution of the problem, and beg of their views being represented to the Government.

This view is shared by the firm of contractors Messrs. Wing Lee & Co. in their letter (35) in Enclosure 1; by contractor Chan Sing in his letter (29) ; by contractor Lan Woo in his letter (14); and by the Kowloon Residents" Association in their letter (41), in the same enclosure. See, too, Mr. White's evidence at page 12 in Enclosure 8 (3).

inhourers.

Government to build

Iouses for housing

building-

labourers.

361

TIT