CO129-576-1 Proposed schemes for improvements in housing conditions 13-10-1938 - 13-4-1939 — Page 15

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Extract from Hansard Report of 13/10/38

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HOUSING. The actual report of the Housing Commission, which will shortly be in the hands of members, is short but pregnant and there is appended to it a thoughtful and informative study of the principal features of Hong Kong's problems of this nature, made in the light of the past experience of other countries. This appendix is stated in the report to be "only one of a series of memoranda" which Mr. W. H. Owen, the secretary of the Commission, compiled for the consideration of members. I endorse very strongly the high commendation which the Commission gave to Mr. Owen's valuable services to them.

The report brings out the essential interdependence between slum clearance, hygienic housing of the poorer classes and town planning and, wisely, it makes no pretence of being final: its main recommendations, briefly summarised, are

(1) That surveys of many different kinds should be put in hand

at once, in order to establish the facts of the case:

(2) that competent authorities be set up for that purpose:

(3) that expert advice be sought when these preliminary investigations have been made, before remedial expenditure is begun on a large scale.

There are several other suggestions of less, but far from insignificant, importance, some of which, at any rate, could be put into effect in the near future.

The paragraph which deals with the requisite surveys is so cogent and comprehensive that I quote it here:-

"Before the actual clearance of slums can be undertaken, it will be necessary to prepare a survey of local industry and housing, each in relation to the other; to prepare a survey of existing buildings, particularly houses, in order to find the number and

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Authority, containing technically equipped members, whose functions would be to make these investigations and, subsequently, to submit for Government's consideration programmes of town planning, slum clearance and housing, which, when approved, the Authority would carry out.

In order to ensure liaison between the Urban Council and the Town Planning Authority I consider that the Chairman of the Urban Council should preside over the Authority. I hope that voluntary helpers will be forthcoming for the conduct of the social surveys which are necessary for this purpose: these will provide a field where University students would find plenty of scope and I trust that it will appeal especially to them.

A fundamental issue is raised by the Commission's observation that there is no escape from the social evils resulting from excessive population-excessive, that is, relatively to the number of people who could subsist themselves properly upon the wage-fund available in Hong Kong, in the words of the Commission "so long as an enormous reservoir of population exists at our door, unless it is a remedy which presents very serious difficulties, namely restriction of immigration." Such a policy of restriction would, I agree, be a momentous innovation, as far as Hong Kong's history goes, though it is commonplace in other parts of the world: nevertheless I hold that it is our duty to face facts and to do right accordingly.

How the reform of housing and town planning is to be financed is a matter which can safely be left to the future: it is quite obvious that such schemes as may be approved after the facts have been ascertained can only be put into execution on a plan which will extend over a long period of years; it is also apparent that it will be costly though not necessarily non-remunerative in the long run: further consideration at the present time of how the initial costs are to be covered would be futile.

My recommendations to the Secretary of State for the Colonies will be on these lines, unless in the meantime I am persuaded to the contrary. The whole subject is of first rate importance and I do not wish to stampede public opinion upon it: I shall, therefore, not submit any such recommendations until the members of this Council have had time to form and express their own views. On the other hand, the matter is not one which permits of indefinite postponement: I hope, therefore, that critics of the report and my expressed intentions will deliver themselves with no long delay.

Housmy Conditions

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