363
Other seberes for unikling.
Scheme for cheap bangalom.
Common lodging houses for coolies.
Maisheels for
hearing labourers.
Skogbai
scheme for building
cheap houses.
Sale condi- tions of
frown land to
stipulate
minimum number of
hutses to be
built.
because both are designed to encourage more buildings. We understand that since the terms for the latter scheme were given out to the public a few weeks ago, twenty applications for erecting blocks of houses on large areas have been received by the Government, whilst over 1,000 applications to build houses have been received under Mr. Fred Elllis' scheme referred to in paragraph 7 (3).
37. We would take this opportunity of directing attention to the scheme of Mr. F. P. de V. Soares mentioned in para. 7 (2) of this Report.
+
38. We would also call attention to Mr. Li Ping's letter (34) in Enclo- sure 1, in which he suggests that the Government grant a certain number o- acres of land at a cheap premium and low Crown rent, for the purpose of buildf ing standardised two-storey Chinese tenement-houses for the Chinese working classes or those of moderate means, covering an area of 800 square feet each, and costing about $3,000 a house, which could accommodate 30 persons, and for which a inonthly rental of $20, exclusive of taxes, could be charged, so that each man has only to pay 70 cents a month in rent.
Mr. Li Ping sug- gests that suitable areas for the erection of such houses for workmen can be found at Wongneichung, Tai Hang, Quarry Bay and Shaukiwan on Hongkong Island, and at To Kwa Wan and Tai Shek Koo in the Kowloon Peninsula. Cheung Sha Wan seems also suitable for the purpose. (See also paragraphs 69 to 71 as to the advantage of standardization).
39. Mr. Frank Smith in his letter (51) in Enclosure 1, gives an ingenious design for the erection of Chinese tenement-houses on the Praya East Recla mation, and works out a scheme for a tenement-flat consisting of a kitchen, a bed-room and a living room at $8 a month.
40. Lotter (12) from Mr. T. Rainsay in Enclosure 1, contains useful sug- gestions as to the building of a 5-room bungalow to cost $10,500, and a 3-room bungalow to cost about $7,500, provided that 50 or more are built, to one design, of certain materials which he specifies. The Hongkong Engineer- ing & Construction Co. in letter (22) in Enclosure 1 deals with the question of erecting up-to-date 5-room bungalows with baths and sanitary conveniences. Mr. Y. Abbas in letter (30) sends a rough plan of a 4-room house, similar to one which he has built at Gindrinkers' Bay, which could be built for $5,000 to $5,500.
41. There will also be found in Enclosure 3, an interesting and detailed scheme by the Hon. Mr. II. T. Jackman for the erection by the Government, of common lodging-houses for coolies, including the supply of food for them, together with a system of inspectors for looking after them.
42. There are also suggestions in various letters in Enclosure I, as to the erection by the Government of matsbeds to allow labourers to live rent free, so as to attract them to the Colony-soe letters (19), (35) and (39).
43. In his evidence (Enclosure 8 (2)) Mr. Lam Woo also mentions a scheme in vogue in Shanghai for building cheap houses. We consider, how- ever, that, as such houses are necessarily built with more flimsy materials than those required by our Buildings Ordinance, the scheme would be un- suitable to Hongkong, owing to its liability to typhoons.
*
44. In order to prevent purchasers of Crown land from building as few houses as possible, and as closely as they can, upon one side of the land purchased, and selling the remaining unbuilt-on portion for a profit, we recommend that the Government should stipulate for a minimum as well as a maximum number of houses to be erected on all Crown land to be sold in future.
9
* 45. To ensure the success of efforts to encourage the building of as many dwelling-houses as would meet the present demand, we consider it desirable, in addition to granting land cheap, for the Government, in some cases, to afford financial assistance, by loans at 5%, to applicants for erecting houses for the accommodation of the following classes of persons:-
British residents of moderate means.
Portuguese and Indian residents of moderate means. Chinese permanent residents of moderate means.
The Chinese working classes.
Such assistance, should be subject to a restriction against rosale or alienation in any way for a term of 15 years, and subject to the restriction that the rent to be charged during that period is to give a net return not exceeding 8% on the capital outlay.
Government Ionus (1) to build houses for tenants of moderate
means.
iosus (II) to persons wishing to build for
* 46. We also recommend that the Government, in addition to granting Government the land cheap, grant loaus at 5% to such persons as are approved of by the Governor in Council, for the purpose of enabling them to build houses for their own occupation, with terms as to repayment extending over a of 20 years, and a covenant against resale or alienation in any way during such period of 20 years.
occupation. period their own
breach of building Covenant.
* 47. We consider that in the past the Government has been rather, Re-entry for lenient in dealing with delays in complying with building covenants, and we therefore recommend that, in future, the right of re-entry for breach of the building covenant be more strictly enforced. This will have the effect of speeding up building operatious.
* 48. Mr. L. G. Bird in his letter in Enclosure 8 (6), suggests that, with a view to saving time, the following sections of the Buildings Ordinance, No. 1 of 1903, should be so amended as to give powers to the Director of Public Works, acting as Building Authority, to grant modifications, subject to a right of appeal to the Governor in Council by the person dissatisfied with the decision of the Building Authority:
Sections LIG 18 134 135 136 137 138
153 162 175 176 179 180 188 216.
This matter we recommend for consideration in connection with pend- ing amendments to the Ordinance.
* 49. Complaints having been received that applications for Crown land have not been and are not now being attended to as expeditiously as they should have been or should be, we suggest that, in future, sites applied for should be put up and sold promptly so as to encourage building enter- prises and to save the locking-up of capital. To enable the Survey Office of the Public Works Department to cope with the above work a recommendation for increasing its staff will be found in paragraphs 59 and 60.
Extension of Building,
authority's power under Ordinance
I of 1903.
Prompt sale of vites applied for.
P
Schemes for road-widen-
published.
* 50. Mr. Lawrence Gibbs in his letter (8) in Enclosure 1, suggests that all proposed schemes for the widening of roads should be gazetted for general ing to be information. He subsequently informed the Chairman that plans which his firm had prepared for certain houses on Robinson Road had to be re-drawn, because a scheme for the widening of that road had not been disclosed to the public. We consider that, where possible, such road-widening schemes should be published.
* 51. Messrs. Palmer & Turner in letter (10) in Enclosure 1, suggest that the Government should give greater encouragement to pioneers by constructing all sewers and mains, and training nullahs, et cetera, at Governinent expense in now areas about to be developed, even when the number of houses to be
Encourage- ment to
pioneers developing
new areas,
I
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.