1918-11-27 — Page 4

THE HUNGKUNG DAILY PRESS. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27Ț¤, 1918. -

VICTOR VICTROLAS

LARGE

NEW

SHIPMENT

OF

MODELS

JUST RECEIVED.

INSPECTION INVITED.

·· EXCLUSIVE AGENTS.

MOUTRIE'S

Gloves

Spats

(18

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washable

Chamois Leather in white or natural. -$3.00 për pair.

Well cut and snug fitting in Grey, Brown or Fawn Boxcloth. -$4.00 per pair.

'AQUASCUTUM * "DEXTER"

and "JAEGER OVERCOATS.

MACKINTOSH

& CO., LTD.,

Men's Wear Specialists,

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THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE AND RELIABILITY

HOWE SCALES

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"THE STUNTS

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Come

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Here We Are Again

T

(Presented by Mr. P. A. Rosario).

E

AT THE

THEATRE ROYAL

TO-NIGHT (WEDNESDAY), NOVEMBER 271E,

AT 9 P

in aid of the "HEATHER DAY" Fund-

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Songs

Programme Livery"

Dances *Reels

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presented

Agala

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Daras Crace, $3.00.

STALIS, $3.00,

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Frises of Adminion:

GALLERY & P, $82,00 & 11.00.

Booking at ANDERSON'S.

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Established 1871.

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PRICE SENT ON APPLICATION.

BRANCH OFFICE: York Building, Chater Road, Phone 1950.

2438

THE OVER-CROWDING EVIL alarming, did not affect the death-rate

IN HONGKONG

very materially), the average mortality for the first ten months of this year is about 30 per thousand per annum÷a rate which has been well maintained., during the current month.

THE DEPLETION OF THE

SANITARY STAFF!

ME. F. B. T.. BOWLEY'S INTERESTING SUGGESTIONS.

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cast), said that inhaling the germs through the mouth is certainly the most common - way of infection of taber culosis, and it is well-known that tuber, culosis is widely prevalent in the city, and that evercrowding is the best means of

open space except a narrow funnel of a back-yard. 7 feet square, into which little air and less light can penetrats, and which has no direct communication with the streets. This back-gard naturally refuse and alth, which are only removed becomes the receptacle of all kinds of

On the 8th August I pointed out that cultivasing every variety of that dis-1 about once a year when the sanitary

"

ease.

Every school boy and every school Houses of this class have been condemned cleansing gang reach it on their rounds.. girl in Hongkong knows, or should

over and over again by sanitary experts, know, of the danger of overcrowding, as

the text book on Hygiene issued by the medical officers, and many others, and

Government for the use of Hongkong, schools explains this clearly. In that text book it is laid down that every adult requires 1,000 cubic feet of fresh

amount of cubic space required for each adult in a bouse is 1,000 cubic feet:

the estimates for 1918 were evidently The fortnightly meeting of the Hongframed with the strictest economy with kong Banitary Board was held yesterday

a view to another year of war, and I evening, when there were present. Mr. A. Gibson (President), the Hon. Mr. E refrained for that mason from pressing Hallifax, Lieut-Col. Crisp, Dr. F. M. G. for many improvements which this Ozorio, Mesars. C. G. Alabasur, F. B. L. Colony sorely needs. Bowley, S. W. Tso, nid Chan Kai-ming, Now we can look forward with con Mrs. A. D. Hickling (Medical Officer)siderable, confidence to a year of peace, and Mrs. D. Danby (Secretary).

and consequently, although it is most desirable that economy should be obsir every 20 minutes, and that the served, wo hope not to be any longer under the grinding necessity of scrutinising every cent spent on public improvements. The local Budget debato revealed that this Colony is the fortunato possessor of overflowing coffers, and that (after making very large remittances to the Imperial War Chest) a surplus of Re- venue over Expenditure of no less than ons and a quarter millions of dollars is anticipated at the end of this year, and further surplus of more than two millions at the end of 1919,

The PRESIDENT: Before we begin the business of the meeting I should like to say that our Secretary. Mr. J. L. Me Pherson, has had to leave to do other work, and in his place Mrs. Danby bas kindly consented to carry on.

Mr. ALABASTER: I should like to say, on behalf of the unofficial members of this Board, how much we appreciate the way in which the ladies of Hongkong Mrs Gale, Mr. Hickling, and Mrs. Danby- and also Mr. McPherson have come to

the assistance of the Sanitary Depart. ment, thus enabling so many people to go! on active service.

Mr. F. B. L. BowLzy then moved the following resolutions:-

[

(1) That in order to relieve the cop

gestion of the overcrowded districts of the City of Victoria and Kow loon, which constitutes a serious danger to the public health, the Board recommends the Govern-

ment ---

A

Yet the law allows houses containing cubicles, in which the air can never be cailed really fresh, to be occupied in the proportion of one adult to every 500 cubic feet, or, if there are no cubicles every 300 cubic feet.

Such is the minimum requirement of the law, and, although it is barely one-third of the quantity of air laid down as essential to health, we know that foors which might legally accommodate from 7 to 9 persons are häbitually occupied by from 13 to 20 persons,

Not only is each cubicle usually filled with bed-boards, but even the passages

and gangways are blocked with bed- boards-cach flat is a seething mat of humanity, inhaling the infection of each other's breath, and running every risk of.contagion; the windows and doors closely shut to prevent...

robbery; and

Now,, ladies and gentlemen. I antici- pate that this Colony, .conscious of its patriotic duty to the Empire which has borne so heroically the tragic burden of the last 4 years of war, may desire to place this year's surplus at the disposal of the Imperial Government, and I do pot propose to suggest any expenditure which would encroach on such a laudable (a) To take steps by levelling an wish. But we hope that next year it

developed Crown Land at Kow-will be unnecessary so to dispose of our these miserable creatures have usually "loon and elsewhere and con-

surplus revenue, and the question then only one common smoke-begrimed kit structing and laying out suit arises how such revenue can best Lechen, 7 feet square, in which to perform able roads, and by all other apped in the interests of the Colony. means in its power, to expedite

The recently published report of Lieut. and encourage the provisionsof Olitsky has corroborated in the most healthy and cheap houses for striking manner the remarks I made on the working classes, to which the th August with regard to the the surplus population of the danger of overcrowding in the Colony, congested districts should be his Excellency the Officer, Administering transferred.

the Government in laying this report on (6) To undertake the systematic the Council Table on October 17th drew

resumption and re-construction

their ablutions, cook their food, and obey the calls of nature. Is it wonderful that in such a congenial atmosphere many persons fall victims to any disease that may be in the air on in the bodies of their neighbours? Rather is it not wonderful that so many of them sur-

vive 1

In addition to the internal overcrowd-

it is these houses which must be recon structed if the Colony is ever to be healthy

Now, the Government has drastic buildings, buc. has hitherto hesitated to powers of resumption of these insanitary

use these powers-partly out of conside ration for the owner, and partly on the round of expense. I have no quarrel, gentlemen, with landlords as a class; as landlords and bad landlords, so in all other walks of life, there are good there good tenants and bad tenants. That landlord who constructs or mais.. tains healthy houses takes an interest in the welfare of his tenants, and is content with a fair remuneration on his capital is a benefactor of the human race, and is as necessary to our existence as the farmer who feeds us.

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owner of insanitary buildings, still less But 1 have no sympathy with the when that owner is either an absentee or a corporation (with no soul to be damned), least of all when the josanitary neither landlord, lesse, nor sub-lessce houses are farmed out in blocks, and.

has any interest whatever in the pro- party except to squeeze the last cent out of the long-suffering tenant and evade the vigilance of Building" Overseer and. Sanitary Inspector. During the last few years these landlords have reaped a rich harvest from their long-suffering: tenants, out of which they can well. afford to reconstruct their houses on healthy lines. Against this class let the Government proceed with the utmost. rigour of the law, and the great mass of public opinion will support their action..

machinery exists, and there are ex- perienced officers in charge, the only difficulty is the Treasury

I do not hesitate to say that, if the

Medical Officer of Health and the officer in charge of, the Building Ordinance were allowed 1 freer hand 10 put the law in operation in this City, the insanitary areas would soon begin to melt away.

of the most insanitary portion forcible attention to passages in the ing, we have in Hongkong surface over that stage has been reached when this

of the City.

the

(2) That the Board, apprehending

possibility of a serious epidemic occurring in the Colony, requests the Government to restore the Sanitary Staff to its full comple ment aa soon as possible by the temporary engagement of suitable persons from outside the Civil Service, in order to prevent the routing work of the Department falling into arrears,”

Peport dealing with overcrowding, and, after pointing out the work involved and expenditure entailed in dealing with this question, be said :—

The task of correcting the errors of the past will, however, have to be faced, if the community is to be protected against epidemics of serious disease." The problem of overcrowding is not new problem for Hongkong; over crowding has probably existed in a greater or less degree from the earliest "M3. BOWLEY'S SPEECH.

days of the Colony-owing, party, to In doing so Mr. BOWLEY said: the coauguration of the land, sad, Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, party, to the innate tendency of the -Although the inseparable questions of poorer classes of the Chinese to herd Housing and Overcrowding have been.gether, believing, no doubt; that, there very freely discussed in the Colony is safety in numbers. The natives also recently, I think you will agree with and warmth in numbers, and this me that it is desirable for this Board, natural desire for warmth tends to which is charged with the duty of anf-aggravate overcrowding in cold weather. guarding to the best of its ability the Public Health of the Colony, to have an opportunity of expressing an opinion and making recommendations on these all-important subjects.

On the 6th August, in speaking to the estimates for next year then before the Board, I drew attention to the subject of overcrowding, and made various sug gestions towards its relief.

Enquiry after enquiry has been held, report after report published, and Urdi- nance after Ordinance passed, with the object of curing this disease of the body. politic, but, in spite of all these endos yours, the population continues to

over- take the available accommodation, and the density of the surface crowding seems to be worse than ever.

In 1902 Mr. Osbert Chadwis Sanitary Expert, had no hesitatum in saying that the then conditions of Victoria were, as regards overcrowding, rather worse than better than they had been in 1889, and in 1918 I think that may be safely said that in this respect the City of Victoria is in a worse con- new era of dition that it ever was before...

Since that date the whole aspect of the world has changed. We were then overshadowed by the Blackest war clouds, and the war monopolised our attention and exhausted our energies; we are now basking in the sunshine of an assured and victorious peace. The period of

destruction bas erased, and a reconstruction has dawned A

There is nothing new in the facts to HM the King reminded the Imperial which Litutenant. Olitsky draws atten House of Parliament last week that all tion so vividly. All of us who have any classes of his people now have en op aquaintance with the problem were portunity of inspiring and guiding the aware of its danger'; but the report bas beneficent undertaking of reconstruction. Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Bonar Law added at least one additional terror to life in proving conclusively that over- include extensive reclamation schemes crowding, which encourages and aggra and comprehensive housing schemes in vates the spread and intensity of so many their joint programme, and, although of the well-known diseases, is a primary this Board would not presume to seek to cause in the cultivation and spread guide our local Government, we can, and of this unfamiliar disease known as I think we should, endeavour to the best cerebrospinal fever; and sing the report of our ability to inspire the Govern was published we have been told on very ment with reasonable suggestions towards good authority that overcrowding is a the improvement of housing of the po- most dangerous factor in the threatening pulation of the Colony...

epidemic of influenza.

That there is urgent need for some

But however insanitary the property is, resumption requires, money, and I think: Board should urge the Government to devote large sums yearly to this vital object Money so spent is not lost; the sites of the insanitary houses, restranged on modern lines, can be sold at good and the general prosperity of the Colony. prices for the erection of healthy houses, is also promoted.

crowding of the very worst kind. In 1900 the Medical Officer of Health point ed out that the average density of the whole City of Victoria was more than double that of Glasgow, the most densely crowded town in the United Kingdom,

In many cases, also, it is only just that and there has been very little improve-adjoining owners whose houses would be ment in the poorest districts, since that date.

by the removal of the insani- tary

buildings should bear, if not the whale, at least a large proportion of, Lieutenant Olitsky also refers to the the cost of resumption instead of secur fact that Canton is far less crowded, increment at the public expense.

ing (as they do

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a valuable, unearned This more healthy principle, known as betterment, has long and, consequently, is

been recognised in England, and than Hongkong. This fact has long been

introduced into this Colony in a tenta- known to us, but it is none the less tive way in 1908, as will be seen by re- standing disgrace to this outpost of Western civilisation.

3

It is true that in 1903 the Government introduced a new Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, drafted" by Pro-

of

fessor Simpson and Mr. Osbert Chad-ered accessed to cover all resump-

enormous im-

wick, which effected an provement in the law on the subject. Again in 1908, as the result of another enquiry, further extensive amendments were made in the law with a view to im proving the sanitary condition of the Colony, and, although the law as is stands must be regarded more as a com promise between the clashing interests of the landowner and the tenant than as an ideal Code of Banitation, it is a long way in advance of procisting legisla tion, and would, if its provisions were more fully availed of, enable the Colony to wipe out the dark stains of the inanitary areas.

Under the present law there are three classes of houses: (a) these existing on 21st February, 1902; (b) those erected since that date on Crown Land leased before that date; and (e) those erected sires. that date on Crown Land leased after that date. .....

There is little to complain of in Class (c), "as such bouses must not exceed in height the width of the street on which they, front, and must be provided with an open space equal to at least half the bill-over area and a scavenging lane; such houses cannot, produce excessive surface over-crowding,

ferring to Section 154A of the Buildings Ordinance, which empowers the Governor in Council, on the recommendation this Board, to undertake the demolition of the upper storeys of every third heuse in an insanitary block, and to recover the cost of te werk from the adjoining owners whose houses will be enhanced in by the additional light and air This principle might easily be tions by an amendment of the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance. resumptions of insanitary property in the City have been undertaken in recent years, nor are any contemplated by the immediate future. Government in the The reason put forward for inaction in the past has usually been want of money, and the Government had pointed out the enormous sums which have been expend- ed, and very necessarily and advantage- only expended, first on the Railway, then on the Typhoon Shelter, and last but not least on Water-worke

So far as 1 am aware, no considerable

These great works having been success-" fully accomplished, the Government is communications and quarters for Govern- now turning its attention to ronds and mert servants. Next year's programme of Public Works Extraordinary shews an expenditure of over 2 millions on these dad

other

important works. But, as I have pointed out, there is still, for the first time for many years, an available surplus of over two millions, and unless this Board claims with

no uncertain voice a considerable share in that surplus for the resumption of in- the displaced working cleases the space anitary property and the rehousing cf dollars are likely to be diverted to some other purpose.

By my resolutions I only ask the Board to assert the general principle, and, in being appointed to consider the whole view of the possibility of a Commission question, I do not wish to tie the Board. to any detailed scheme, but I should like to suggest that a sum of not less than half-a-million should be set aside for purpose of resumption of insanitary- property, 1919, and that such resump Houses in Class (b) are not satisface be undertaken forthwith in my

manner, commencing with the worst districts, which the Medical Officer tory, but they are an improvement ou of Health and Building Authority, an the older type; the height in Clase (b) no doubt indicate without any dificulty.

I should further like to suggest that may be 1 tintes the width of the street negotiations should be rapid, that a fair and the open space provided must be offer should be made in each case, and, if it is not accepted, the matter should at least one-third of the built over area, be referred

without delay to the and a scavenging lase is generally re- Beard of Arbitration provided by the

Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance quired,

than which no more impartial tribunal existe, consisting as it does of a Judge two members nominated by the Gorezne of the Supreme Court, as chairman, and ment and the landowner respectively.

Dr. T. Woo, of Edinburgh, in a very improvement in the Public Health in interesting and concise lecture on the shown by the significant fact that. Prevention of Tuberculosis recently de- although the Colony has escaped any livered at the Chinese YM.Q.A (a serious epidemic, this year (except the lecture which I think that public-spirited vile rookerica of 34 storeys, fronting cerebrospinal

though body should print and distribute brosd.. on narrow langs, and provided with no

Horses in Class (a) are many of them