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whole catchment area of the Jubilee Reservoir on the southern slopes of Tai Mo Shan, covering 9 or 10 square miles, should not be earmarked as a nature reserve. Certain parts are being planted by the Forestry Depart- ment and at present there are no villages or people permitted to dwell in the area. The relation of this proposal to tourist development would require careful study.
87. It is not felt that anything can be added to the excellent report of the New Territories sub-committee of the Colonial Development and Welfare Committee.
88. The possibility of a considerable increase in suburban development' in the New Territories, especially if the railway is electrified, must be faced. Suburban scattering and sprawl has been one of the worst features of urban growth in European countries. On the one hand great damage, both direct and indirect, may be done to farming interests: on the other a gradual interpenetration of building may lead to an uneconomic demand for far-flung public services such as water supply. Fortunately for the Colony the land is owned by the Government and the areas released for development can be rigidly controlled but the danger of pressure being brought to bear for the sale of individual plots, each appearing harmless at the time, must be guarded against.
89. If the aerodrome is located in the New Territories, this by itself may become a focus of development, possibly of an industrial character.
90. Most interesting proposals, however, were studied for a new market town as a centre point of agricultural enterprise. Indeed the whole of the New Territories appear to be instinct with a combination of old Chinese custom and Fung Shui" and a very active interest in modern developments.
13. TOURISM.
91. It may be considered undignified for a Colony so seriously bent on its prosperity as a port, as an industrial and financial centre and with a strictly agricultural background, to consider developing its attractive sites as a tourist resort. So far, what may be comprehended under the vague term "amenities", have been strictly confined to the lighter moments of the inhabitants themselves, snatched from the solid hours given to the world's work: but it is an axiom of planning for prosperity that there should be a diversification of occupation and one of the main objects of the Plan is to see that different interests do not clash. The Colony of Hong Kong would appear to present first-class opportunities for a tourist industry which should add materially to its prosperity and, incidentally, in providing for the tourist, the inhabitants may receive some benefit they could not have afforded otherwise.
92. This is a subject requiring very full investigation; the tourists might well be of two groups (a) from China and neighbouring countries (b) from the world at large. The attractions should be considered to be offered by the Colony as a whole and not by special spots laid out for the purpose. For example, there is no finer night scene in the world than the view of the harbour from points on the Peak or from the hillsides of Kowloon. The following are some of the attractions that can be offered or developed for the purpose.
(i) Castle Peak Road: developed as a 'cornice' road to rival that
of the Riviera.
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(ii) Tai Mo Shan: not only the peak itself, but a whole mountain district available between the months of September to February. The military road is already there: hotels, a golf course and houses could be built.
(iii) The Beaches and Islands for yachting and fishing, starting
from the harbour of Hong Kong itself.
(iv) Race Course, Golf Course, Country Club, etc., in the New
Territories.
(v) Chinese village life in the New Territories with its exquisite examples of humanly developed landscape, regulated by the principles of "Fung Shui", much of which escaped war damage. The popular festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival. It may be mentioned that Hong Kong, paradoxically, is the conservator of the old way of life, town and country, of South China.
(vi) Stonecutters Island. There is an opportunity for something as locally popular and as world famous as Skansen at Stockholm. It is impossible to conceive anything more attractive and easy to develop for this purpose than this charming island, so accessible by water and surrounded by such lovely views. This is not the place to analyse the functions of a Skansen but this island could be made to afford all of them without losing its essential quality: it should provide amusement and instruction for all types and classes of people.
(vii) A permanent Fair for industries and other purposes. What has been described as a show window of the Far East' might well be established here, (two British Empire fairs held in Kowloon before the war have shown the possibilities), either limited to the British Empire or as a mart of world trade. The site of Whitfield Barracks (already mentioned as a possible park) has been suggested for this purpose: it is certainly well situated, with an open frontage on Nathan Road, and good access to the Docks,
93. The above are the merest indications of possibilities; most of them would need bold and positive development in order to give this aspect of Hong Kong a positive attraction. Nowhere in the world can there be a greater present opportunity.
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14. ANCILLARIES.
94. The term ancillary' has been applied for the purpose of this Report to many features of urban life which, though of absolutely first-class importance, do not so much direct the main lines of planning as fall into the pattern at proper intervals, generally based upon population. As regards detailed planning, such as the design of neighbourhood units, these ancillaries may become directing forces: this is specially the case with the Elementary School, whose optimum size and accessibility may well determine the size and extent of a unit of general population.
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95. Among these ancillaries of general planning may be specially mentioned, Schools, Libraries, Clinics, Hospitals, Markets and Public Services. In placing these buildings in proper relation to population grouping regard will naturally be paid to the proposed neighbourhood units, which in their turn should be related to the ward boundaries of the
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