Sessional_Paper_1893 — Page 830

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SIR,

SANITARY BOARD ROOM, HONGKONG, 22nd June, 1892.

Adverting to your letter of the 17th instant, I have to inform you that I have this day inspected the upper floors of the five houses in New Street, near to the Tung Wa Hospital, which I understand were intended for a Home for girls. There are really two sets of rooms, one set comprising three of the five floors, the other two. Each room or floor with its attached kitchen is the complete upper floor of the house it forms a párt of. Apart from the kitchen, none of the rooms or floors has any place where closet accommodation can be provided for the people who may be occupying these floors.

I am of the opinion that, so far as the rooms are concerned, they are in a fair sanitary condition and suitable for bed-rooms, but, if they are viewed as complete dwellings, then the mere fact that there is no closet accommodation and that the kitchens are the only places where such accommodation can be provided is a grave sanitary defect. So far as I could see water is not laid on to these floors, and, as the stairs giving access to them are very steep, this must be viewed as a sanitary defect of importance, for the carrying of a fair supply of water up these stairs for the number of persons the rooms can accommodate would be a considerable undertaking,

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

Honourable J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,

Registrar General.

HUGH MCCALLUM,

Sanitary Superintendent.

Appendix 13.

HONGKONG, 30th June, 1892.

SIR,

We have the honour to state for the information of the Committee appointed to enquire into certain points connected with the Pó Leung Kuk that we were present at the last meeting of the Committee in accordance with your request to attend, but were not called upon to give any information. Since that meeting, a memorandum has been drawn up by the Committee of the Pó Leung Kuk, which embodies their views on the subject of the Society, and explains fully its working, and which, we understand, will be forwarded for the information of the members of the Committee in a day or two. We have read the memorandum, and as we entirely agree with it, we do not think it will be necessary for us to appear again before the Committee. But, if after receipt of the memorandum, the Committee should desire to question us on any of the points contained in it, we shall be happy to give any further information we possess and the Committee wishes to obtain.

Honourable J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,

We have the honour to be,

Sir,

Chairman, Pó Léung Kuk Committee of Inquiry.

Your most obedient Servants,

LAU WAI CHUEN.

LEUNG PUI CHI.