Sessional_Paper_1894 — Page 301

HONGKONG.

€97

No. 25

ACTING SANITARY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1893.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

23

94.

To the President and Members of the

SANITARY Board.

SANITARY BOARD ROOM,

HONGKONG, 19th March, 1894.

GENTLEMEN,-I have the honour to submit for your information this the Fifth Annual Report concerning work done by the Sanitary Board during the year 1893.

DRAINAGE Works.

2. In addition to the work carried out by property owners of their own initiative a considerable number of houses, which were found on inspection to be in an insanitary condition, have been redrained on the requisition of the Board. I append a tabular statement (A) showing:

(a) The locality in which the houses so found to be insanitary are situated.

(b) The number of houses so found in each such locality.

(c) The houses so found for which plans for their redrainage have been submitted.

(d) The houses so found at which the work of redrainage has been completed.

It is a matter for congratulation that this work, which is in many cases repugnant to the inclina- tion of property owners, has been carried out without any serious friction.

It will be noticed that a very large proportion of the houses found in an insanitary condition are in the Chinese quarters of the City of Victoria, and that the total number redrained during the year is 264. The number of houses treated under these conditions since the passing of the Public Health Ordinance of which there is a record is approximately as follows:-

1890,

1891,

1892,

1893,

90

...141

...210

.264

It may be deemed a source of satisfaction that the number of houses put into a sanitary condition has increased so steadily from year to year, but this satisfaction is moderated by the reflection that the total number of houses in the City of Victoria is about 7,900, and that the proportion of buildings so treated to those that remain unaffected is consequently still small. Of course a considerable number of properties have been rebuilt since the passing of the Public Health Ordinance, and the drains of these are presumably in accordance with the requirements of that statute; but there can be little doubt that a large proportion of the Chinese houses in the City of Victoria are still in a condition which, from a sanitary point of view, calls for reform. I think that (the public sewers being now completed over a large part of the City) the time has come when owners of property might reasonably be called upon to reform their drainage arrangements upon a somewhat more systematic plan than has been in vogue hitherto. At present, the complaint of a neighbour, or of a tenant, or perhaps the observation of one of the Board's Inspectors, leads to an examination of one or two, or possibly half a dozen houses out of a large block. The Sanitary Surveyor inspects them and if he finds that they are in an insanitary condition he reports accordingly, and the owners are called upon by the Board to redrain; but the other houses in the block, which are probably in the same condition, or in a state only a trifle less objectionable, are unaffected by this order, and may continue in their unsatisfactory state for years, or until some further complaint is made. I venture to suggest that the mere fact that one or two out of a block of houses are found in an insanitary condition should be held prima facie evidence that the whole block is in a similar state (always providing that the houses are of the same type, and have the appearance of being of the same age, and of being used for the same purposes, and by the same class of tenants); and that an inspection should be made accordingly, so that if the suspicion is verified the whole block may be redrained in combination, generally a more advantageous method, as well from a sanitary as from a pecuniary point of view, than that of draining each house separately. If this course is pursued in the future a considerable step will have been taken towards improving the sanitation of the City; the sewers will profit by having the flow of sewage brought up to something like the quantity for which their sizes were calculated, and the storm water drains will profit by being relieved of the constant trickle of sewage which renders them so offensive during the dry season.

A certain number of complaints continue to be made concerning the liability of the new pipe drains to get out of repair by obstruction. Examination shows however that in nearly every case choking is due to gross misuse of the drains by the tenants or their servants. It seems difficult to impress upon the Chinese mind the fact that drains are constructed for the carrying off of liquids, and not of solids. I think it is a question whether the Board might not wisely amplify their Bye-laws by inserting a clause rendering tenants liable in a penalty for making an improper use of a drain which is likely to lead to a nuisance.