CO129-618-1 Institute of Medical Research- proposed construction 21-4-1947 - 5-12-1947 — Page 19

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A. PUBLIC HEALTH.

(1) Housing.

We are satisfied that between ten and twenty per centum of Chinese-type houses in Hong Kong were destroyed during hostilities or by looters during the Japanese occupation of the Colony. Similarly, between sixty and seventy per centum of European-type houses were destroyed or severely damaged during the same period.

It is our unanimous opinion that the provision, for example, of hospital beds for tuberculosis and other diseases arising from bad housing is poor economy unless energetic action is taken, concurrently, to secure improvement in housing, particularly of the working classes where such diseases are being manufactured and spread daily.

We were not impressed with the defeatist argument that whatever improvement is effected in housing in Hong Kong, this would always be negatived by the influx of persons from Kwang Tung and other parts of China.

We admit, in this connexion, that it is true that it is well-nigh impossible to prevent the overcrowding of premises, even when legal sanctions exist. On the other hand, we feel that, it is obvious that there is less danger from overcrowding of premises which are constructed on hygienic principles, of fire- proof easily cleansed materials, with adequate lighting, ventilation, sanitary offices and arrangements for cooking. We envisage advance along three main lines which are all capable of being carried out at the same time. Firstly, the clearance of war-damaged property and its replacement by buildings of modern type except on sites which should be retained as "lungs", recreation grounds, etc.

This may involve wholesale resumption of land by Government to make possible street widening and up-to-date layouts. We feel that every possible advantage should be taken of the considerable areas of damaged build- ings to modernize the city, to speed up the process of slum clear- ance which was started, fortuitously, by the advent of war to Hong Kong. Model neighbourhood units or communal housing for workers with welfare, recreational and educational centres, communal bath- house, laundry, closets, etc., on both sides of the harbour, e.g., at Hung Hom, Tai Kok Tsui, Wanohai and Kennedy Town, would make possible the removal of several festering sores in the form of congested slums. While such housing is an urgent need for the under-privileged, its want is also felt by the "white collar" and professional classes.

We are well aware of the fact that communal housing sohemes must, inevitably, be subsidised. This is a recognised fact in communities where the average wage-earning capacity of the worker is considerably higher than in Hong Kong. We believe that it might be possible to obtain part at least of the required funds by application to the Lord Mayor's Empire Fund for Air Raid sufferers and from the Banking Community, particularly if Government would be prepared to give security for the payment of interest at, say, 4% per annum on the loans raised.

Secondly, we feel that the time is overripe for the introduction of legislation requiring owners of inhygienic property built in the earlier days of the Colony's history to modernize their buildings, within a period not exceeding twenty years. Property owners failing to effect this in the time limit would have their houses demolished without compensation.

Thirdly, we consider that the possibility should be explored of constructing temporary buildings of a very simple but

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