Sessional_Paper_1898 — Page 490

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Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Do you think the owners of private lanes should be at liberty to put up erections which block the entrance to and the exit from these lanes with the exception of space which perinits of only one person being able to pass through at one time?—I can see no objection whatever to building over the two ends of a private street providing it does not block the fronts of the houses in that street and that these houses are properly ventilated front and back. It is the most valuable part of the property facing the main thoroughfares and does not affect the houses in the street.

Mr. EDE-What width ?-15 feet; no private street should be less than 15 fect.

The CHAIRMAN-You say at the entrance to these streets there should be no obstruction?—No, I see no reason for not covering over that portion of the lane the same depth as the houses facing the main thoroughfares providing it does not obstruct in any way the front of the houses in the lane.

How does he get into the lane ?—Through the ground floor as a rule; the ground floor is open; it is arched.

Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-How wide would you compel the entrance to be?-It is generally 15 feet, but I see no reason why he should not put up a stall half the width of the lane. It is inconvenient if you have to squeeze through a narrow passage, but you cannot say it is unhealthy.

The CHAIRMAN Are there any private lanes of that kind at home?—Yes, take a "blind street" as it is called at home; there you have absolutely nothing but a house —no passage even for a man to crawl through.

Are these private lanes taken over by the Government or the Municipalities ?- Voluntarily?

If the owners surrender them ?—Yes, they have to put them in a condition which the Municipality will accept and then they are taken over and kept in repair. But there property stands for hundreds of years; out here a house is built and in ten years the property is often rebuilt. The present Hongkong and Shanghai Bank premises could not have been built if private lanes had been taken over by the Government, because there was a private lane running between the old Hongkong Bank premises and the old Mercantile Bank premises.

Unless it had been given as a favour to them ?-If as a favour, the Hongkong Bank might get it, but not some poor Chinaman.

Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-The present law requires that there should be a space of 4 feet between the top of the partition walls and the ceiling. Do you think that is sufficient in all cases ?—I was on the Board when that was discussed and we came to the conclusion that it was sufficient.

Hon. C. P. CHATER-With regard to private lanes, suppose they were absolutely taken over by the Government would the tenants be as happy or would they be prepared to pay as much to the present landlords, if the lanes belonged to the Government ?-- No, they would not. They like a private lane because they are able to set out their wares and do things which the law prohibits in the public street.

Therefore if they were taken away the landlord would suffer?-Certainly.

The CHAIRMAN From your experience of them are these private lanes sanitary ?— I know plenty of them that are anything but sanitary; it is generally a mere question of scavenging.

Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Have the Government no power to see that they are kept in a sanitary condition ?-They have every power now to oblige the owners to keep them sanitary; there is no necessity for any alteration of the law.