1923-10-05 — Page 4

JOHN 1.

THORNYCROFT

AND 00.. LTD.

SHIPBUILDERS AND

ENGINEERS

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THE HOUSING QUESTION.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS.

RESERVATIONS OF KOWLOON FOOTHILLS RECOMMENDED FOR RESIDENCE.

buildings. The Continissioners under know that they have, a definite tribunal stand that since the terms for the latter to which they can appeal with the ful scheme were given out to the públic a certainty of their grievances being gona

without delay and without a few weeks ago, twenty applications for into erecting blocks of houses on large areas causation or wages such as is involved in have been received by the Government, a

In the course of his Report whilst over 1,000 applications to build for the year 1924, the Secretary for houses have been received under Mr.Chinese, Affairs remarks (at page ) Fred Ellis' scheme.

The general strike was largely a matter

strike.

In order to prevent purchasers of of the intimidation of willing workers." Crown land from building as few houses As Mr. Hallifax advocates as a remedy the possible, and as closely as they can, upon establishment of an Employers, Federa one side of the land purchased, and sell tion; but while we agree that the forma ing the remaining unbuilt-on portion for tion of such a federation may be desir a prolit, it is recommended that the able, we think that an arbitration tribunal as recommended by us, should be estais for 24 Government should stipulate The Report of the Housing Coamis la connection with the improvement minimum as well as a maximum number] shl, and that a Judge of the Supreme

the decisions of the tribunal. sion appointed in April list to enquire and extension of the tram, ferry and of houses to be erected on all Crown Court should-given power to enforce "as, to what measures, are possible to motor-lus services, the Commission thinks land to be sold in future.

that the Government should ni ut The Commission recommend the grants increase the quantity and decrease the efficiency and cheap service rather than ing of Government kans (1) to build cost of housing accommodation in theat raising revenue,

houses for tenants of moderate means, The Commissioners KLA # state of (2) to persons wishing to build. for their Colony, was, by command of H.E the

affairs mpidly approaching on the middle swn occupation. Governor, laid upon the table of the levels of Hongkong Island, which is of They consider that in the past the Legislative Council yesterday.

a serious character from the point of Government has been rather lenient in The members of the Commission were view of diminishing the present accordealing with delays in complying with the Hon. Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C. (Chair,modation available for British resklents building covenants, and we therefore man), the Hon. Mr. R. II. Kotewall, and Kingsclere tas, recently been pur-ricommend that, in future, the right of chased by a Chinese syndicate with the reentry for breach of the building Mr. W. S. Bailey.

It

It would seem desirable to establish a' trade school to teach boys carpentry, masours, au! other branches of the buills. ing trade. The industrial school which, we understand, Sir Robert Ho Tung and several Chinese gentlemen are contem- plating should prove an ideal institution for the purpose."

1

FOR

RECOMMENDATIONS)

REDUCING COSTS. Several recommendations are

made

.The. Report occupies printed fools result that soune 30 to 60 British residents govenant be more strictly enforced. This with this object in view, such as that

"

the Government should grant permission rap folin pages, and we can find space will shortly be rendered homeless. only to

to contractors to obtain stone sand. and summarise its main features, senas likely, too, that other boarding all have the effect of speeding up build- Under the healing Measures for Inhouses in the neighbourhood of "Kinging operations. creasing the quantity of Housing Accom. !elere.",which are, occupied mairily Attention is drawn to a letter 'received earth from places as near as possible from Mr. L. G. Bird suggesting that, to the building works: that detailed British guests, will, when the Renta with a view to saving time. the following drawings should be furnished to contrae- modation, the Commission say:--

elinanes lapses, erase to exist. tiader these circumstances the obvious remedy is setions of the Buildings Ordinance, No. to look for ontlets for building on the 1 of 1903, should be so amended as to higher levels; and the Mount Cameron Rive powers to the Director of Public district, when opened up as anggested, Works, acting as Building Authority, to Hunt modifications, subject to a right will in'n suitable place for the purpose of appeal to the Governor in Council by Whilst congratulating the Peak Tran the person dissatisfied with the decision traffic afforded by the recent inauguration

SCARCITY OF BUILDING LAND. Crown lands suitable for building houses for the various classes of the coniimmity and already available for building an, are scarce and we regard this scarcity as the chief preliminary obstacle to Iniki-

in schemes

prompt payment of contractors and fiat to enrly; that there should be more instead of requiring contractors to put up securities which they say are unneces sarily heavy, prosecutions should be in- stituted against any contractor who com mits an offence. Labour saving appliances materials are also recommealed.

MEASURES FOR DECREASING -HENTAL.

ing development. Few of the potentiallyway Company upon the relief of the Peak of the Building Authority, and the Com- and facilities for landing and storing. available sites are marked out or measure of several non-stop trains, the Conmnis issioners recommend this matter for ed, with the result that the all-important stor recommends, in the interests of the consideration in connection with pending work of building e houses on are sites dwellers on the middle levels, that the amendments to the Ordinance.

Ungf is læing delayed and hell up.

question be thoroughly, investigated by UTILIZATION TO BEST ADVANTAGE

In addition to recommendations "for" the consequences of this delay is that the Government of the practicability of OF LAND ALREADY AVAILABLE: would-be investors in' landed property serving the Bowen and May Road levels

the restriction of renta by conditions of" are necessarily driven to invest their hy two different (covered-in) sections of

The recommendations under this sexile, where land is sold by the Govern of reconstruction.uving platforms or staircases, one from head are designed to utilize to the best ment cheap and without auction, the "We are clearly of the which do not help much in increasing the bottom Tram Station or thereabouts advantage existing available land, whe Report says: housing accommodation, and have, in

opinion that the Rents Orllinance should to Bowen Road, and the other from ther vacant or built upon. addition, the undesirable effect of creat-

Bowen Road to May Road.

The Commissioners recommend; be coutinned until such time as the supply of "houses mects the demand, and until ing competition for skilled labour and building materials, which are so urgently

the state of affairs in the neighbouring needed for new houses on new sites,

Provinces of China is sufficically settled. to put an end to the periodical large in Hux of Chinese refugees from Chinato Hongkong

money

ENCOURAGEMENT OF BUILDING, AND GOVERNMENT FACILITIES.

bæilding-Jabourers.

F

The Commission therefore regard it as imperative for the Government to. In addition suggestions egntained in the speed up the work of laying out, marking Report under the bend "Measures for and draining extensive areas for build Decreasing the Cost of Housing Accean. ing, especially in the Kowloon Peninsula,modation the Commission makes the which presents a vast and promising held following recommendations with regard for building development; but it is to Government facilities, for housing | absolutely impossible for this recommen; dation to be speedily, and efficiently car ried out, without the considerable in crease of staff in the Survey Oflice.

The Commission comments to the cou sideration of the Government the desir ability of expediting the completion of the Praya East Reclaination by making extra payments to the contractors, such payments to be debited to the Praya East Reclamation Fund, and to be divided in proportion to the areas of the respue live holdings of the marine lot-holders

concerned.

It also recommends that the Govern ment, bring every possible pressure ta bear on the proper Authorities to ex pedite the removal of the Military from the central and already levelled and drained sites in the heart of the City of Victoria and of the Kowloon Peninsula. These sites, which occupy some hundreds of acres, are vital to the residential and commercial expansion of the Colony. IMPROVEMENT AND EXTENSION OF COMMUNICATIONS.

As steps towards the opening up of undeveloped areas, in order to increase housing accommodation, and to ease the congestion in the crowded parts of the City, the Commission recommends that prompt action be taken by the Govern ment:

(1) To speed up the completion of the road from Wongneichang Gap to Repulse Bay, which will halve the distance from the City of Victoria to Repulse Bay, and will also open up good building sites between Wongneichung Gap and Repulse

Bay.

(2) To push on with the projected moter-roads in the Kowloon Penin-

sula.

the

The evidence before us (they say) shows that further building labour cannot be attracted to this Colony, unless provision is made for housing such labourers at a moderate rental: and accordingly it is of paramount importance to secure cheap housing of workmen engaged in the building trades. We, therefore, recon- mend that the Government should afford assistance to house. Chinese workmen. engaged in the building trades by-

(1) Granting land cheap to persons on

condition that they build tenement | houses ready for occupation by workten engaged in this building | trades, within a period of 6 months or the shortest period practicable. (2) Allowing to building contructors

facilities for more workmen's mat sheds near the building works on which they are engaged.

9) Allowing workmen to live on the!

ground-floor of Chiness tenement houses, which they are erecting, when the second-floor is being built, tud so on..

It is also recommended that the Gov. rement build, in various districts, and rent out at cheap rents. houses for the occupation of Chinese workmen engaged in the building trades,

4.

•

(1) Such eviction of tenarts throws an extra demand on such premises dy runy vacant, with the result that the tenant in many cases is forced to pay a larger rent for his acconi modation; and

(1) That the Government, by amend ment of the Rating Ordinance, place a "heavy tax on privately owned land, not utilized in con- nection with any building, which is obviously suitable for building on

"We also consider that the Gover- but which is not being built upon or offered for building ou..

ment shout forbid by legislation the (2) That encouragement be given by lemolition and reconstruction of houses

the Government, by loans at 3 per which are stated by the Building Autho eent, to owners of one-storey or rity to be in either good or fair condi- two-storey godowns on adjoining tion, because we consider it both inequit- lots on Praya East and Praya West,able and unjust to the tenants for the to co-operate in increasing the area Government to allow their eriction from of land available for building tene- premises which are in good or fair con- ments, by heightening the godowns dition, and because also of the following en ene lot to three or four storeys. rensons: thus economising godown space, and by using the adjacent lot for "building a Chinese tenement-house. In other instances, low godowns might be rebuilt, with such Govern- meut assistance as aforesaid, and living accommodation might be erected on the top of the godowns (see latter (16) para. 3 1) in En- closure J. and Mr. White's evidence at page ID in Enclosure 8 (3). (4) That the Government should take

steps to secure the removal of guild Instances of the threatened eviction of offers and the numerous small tenants from premises which are report. private clubs, which are only freed by the Building Authority to be in quented at night, from the crowd either good or fair condition are referred ed parts of the "City to "the out- skirts, as soon as sufficient new houses are built in the latter dis tricts to accommodate them (sce letter (27) in Enclosure 1). Que reason in favour of such action is that, in time of disorder caused by labourera, a more effective control over the guilds and their activities ean be exercised by the Govern

ment.

OF HOUSING.

to.

(2) Such reconstruction must tend, by competition for skilled labour and building materials, to increase the cost of erecting new buildings undu land which has not been previously built upon.

.

RESIDENTIAL RESERVATIONS.

ROWLOON FOOTHILLS FOR ECHOPEANS." On this ubjret the Commissioners hy (Asterisks preceding paragraphs indicate recommendations);

There is now only one aspect of the 1370 bles left to be dealt with by us. It is the question of how best to protect the various classes of the community from being as they have been in the past, forced hut of Certain parts of the Colony, in which they have for years been residing, by economic pressure fream outside.

It is the opinion of the Chairman nà

the desired result in the creation ef. M. Bailey that the only means of attain servations for all sections of the com munity: and the views and recommenda contained in the following paragraphs relative to the subject are their views and emmendations. Mr. Kotewall, recognis

not of racial ing that the question discrimination, and that, like the British residents, the Chines and Portuguese per. manent residents of the middle and work. classes have suffered severely from this

by periode fluxes, from the brighbouring Provinces, British residents and for these' Chinese agrees to the principle of Reservations for

anent residents and residents of Mr. Kotowall, however, considers that the area comprising the Kowloon foot- hills together with the hills behind as marked green in Enclosure 7. which is recommended in para. 121 for an" Euro- pean reservation, is far too large for

ment is already asked to reserve for the the purpose. In arn. Is the Govern

ner. other

The Commissioners recommend that the Government should sell land cheap and without auction to large employers of INADEQUACY OF F.W.D. STAFF." workmen for the purpose of housing

A number of recommendations are their employés, with a condition for the forfeiture of the land to the Government ade for the provision of an adequate if the premises are used for other pur staff for the Public Works Department. poses; also that the Adimity should MEASURES FOR DECREASING COST emulate the example of the Hongkong Government and the Military Authorities

Under this heading the Commissioner and the Gibraltar precedent by providing ample house accommodation for the em set forth that high cost of land causes (3) To construct as soon as possible a ploys of the Naval Yard, many of whom high rent and they recommend the tramway from Stone Nallah Lane are now being driven, from sheer force standardisation of houses, and that the to Wanchai Gap in order to open of circumstances, across the Harbour to Government should offer prizes for the up the Mount Cameron district Kowloon, to an inconvenient distance best designs for standard types of houses which, we understand, will provide from their work, and are incidentally for the Chinese working classes. sites for some 60 separate houses. competing with permanent civilian resid SUPPLY OF SKILLED LABOUR These sites should be marked out onts for available European áccommoda-

The question of securing an adequate on a plan which should be published tion at Kowloós, by the Public Works Department. Another paragraph of the Report says: supply of skilled labour for the building This neighbourhood cannot, in the We would also commend to the favour trade is important, the Report saya be opinion of the Commission be ade-able consideration of the Government the cause it affects not only the building quately developed by motor traffic, question of building houses for accom- development of the Colony, but also that, who desire such Reservations, because-

morhuting Government servants of all cost of buildngs and recommendations are 1.3.) Many residents have not su races and grades, charging them a reason made with the view of obtaining a su

ficient supply of such lallourers by pro- able rent.

In addition to selling land cheap for viding them with sufficient and cheap (ii) Motor traffic cannot (to quote erecting bouses thereon for accommodat housing accommodation."

One of the most serious obstacles to words of H.E the Governor ating employés, they recommend that the *page

K of the Hongkong Government should also sell land cheap, the supply of labour appears to be the Hansard for 1921 with refer without auction, and subject to certain large entrance-fees demanded of new ence to this Wanchai Gap Tram- restrictions hereinafter mentioned, to members by some of the local guilds, same purpose "the whole of the foothills from the surrounding and forming part of King's way supply the necessary chcourage the erection of more houses for thus debarring newcomers

Park on the West, North and East side. It is stated in one letter re- and also the hilly area immediately ad- cheap and rapid transit at. re- accommodating different classes of the country.

There ceived by the Commissioner that labour joining such foothills; and it is believed gular intervals to a central community at reasonable rents. point," besides being liable to

ean be no doubt that the cost of Crown obtained from the guilds is considerably that fully 100 houses, with garden space stoppage in beavy rains; and land is the most serious factor in con- dearer than that from outside sources. around them, could be erected on thic (L) Such a tramway will tend to nection with the cost of building in the The influence of guilds on the building amphi-theatre. Even if the eastern sile relieve the Peak Tramway. Colony, because obviously the high cost development of the Colony is also re- of the area were required for Military (4) To provide tram-services in Kow-of land inevitably entails both dear ferred to in letters which are annexed to Officers' quarters (vide para, 120), the

foon and ita foothills.

buildings and high rents, which tends to the Report (5) To encourage the extension and hold back building development.

improvement of motor-bus services Conditions for selling. Land cheap with in Hongkong, Kowloon and the Now out action are recommended in the Re- Territories.

port

ficicat means to enable them to keep motor cars;

TRIBUNAL FOR LABOUR. DISPUTES. "We strongly urge the Government,

remaining pertion thereof would still seem to be sufficient to accommodate nearly all the British residents who have recently been or will soon he dislodged: in the interests of all branches of trade from their houses. Those who cannot be in this Colony, to pass a law for the neramumodated in this area could then go

(6) To provide improved ferry services The scheme outlined by the Honour

to both sides of the Kowloon Penin-able Acting Colonial Secretary in the reference to a strong and independent to the Kowloon foothills. But the area sula, and to Cheungchau. ... Legislative Council is referred to as tribunal, with one representative of the of the latter which is recommended to having attractions for people with specu employers and one representative of the be reserved for the purpose is, to Mr. lative instincts, but subject to the appli- workmen as assessors, of all disputes in Kotowall's mind, unnecessarily largo cation to it of the conditions the Commin this Colony relating to wages to be paid largor, it appears from the map, than the sioners set out, and to the premis being to workmen, hours of employment and whole of the developed portion of the fixed at market value, they think that holidays. Such a law is clearly desir Kowloon Peninsula which has taken: the scheme may be tried simultaneously able in the interests of workmen, no less about 60 years to reach its present size with that recommended by them because than in those of employers, for it is of and prosperity. The total British po hoth are designed to encourage. more the utmost importance to the former to pulation of the Colony, according to the

(7) To arrange, if possible, for a re duction of ferry-lares. If existing ferry companies cannot be induced to reduce their charges, reduction of fares should be made a condition for the renewal of current conces sions, or for the grant of new con- cessions