Sessional_Paper_1898 — Page 530

Hon. D. P. W.

[VII]

Appendix No. 6.

Will you kindly note that the members of the Commission will be glad to receive the report which you have suggested should be drawn up by you and the Medical Officer of Health and pass this paper to the latter officer for his information?

THE SEC. I. P. C.,

Noted and passed to the M. O. H.

J. H. S. L.

13. 8. 96.

Noted.

F. W. C.

13. 8. 96.

Passed to Sec., I. P. C.

F. W. C.

14. 8. 96.

F. A. C.

13. 8. 96.

Appendix No. 7.

HONGKONG, 9th September, 1896.

SIR,

In reply to the President's minute dated the 13th August, 1896, requesting us to furnish a general report as to the sanitary condition of buildings in the Colony dealing with such matters as appear to us to bear on the subject referred to the Commission, we have the honour to report as follows:-

2. Tenure of Land.—The whole of the buildings within the City of Victoria and principal villages throughout the Colony are erected on land held under lease from the Crown, term of lease varies, being 999 years, 75 years, 21 years, and 1 year.

In the more scattered districts of Hongkong and Kowloon the houses are in the majority of cases erected on land held under the form of tenure known as a squatter's licence; these licences are issued annually but their number is rapidly decreasing owing to the issue of leases as advised by the Squatter's Board established under Ordinance No. 27 of 1890.

3. Conditions of Leases, Ordinances and Regulations.-The usual form of Crown leases contains the following provisions:-

"Executors, Administrators and Assigns shall and will, from time to "time, and at all times hereafter, when, where, and as often as need or occasion "shall be and require, at his and their own proper costs and charges, well and sufficiently, Repair, Uphold, Support, Maintain. Pave, Purge, Scour, Cleanse,

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Empty, Amend and keep the messuage or teneinent, messuages or tenements, "and all other erections and buildings, now or at any time hereafter standing "upon the said piece or parcel of ground hereby expressed to be demised, and "all the Walls, Rails, Lights, Pavements, Privies, Sinks, Drains and Water- 'courses thereunto belonging, and which shall in any-wise belong or appertain unto the same, in, by and with all and all manner of needful and necessary "reparations, cleansings and amendments whatsoever, the whole to be done to "the satisfaction of the Surveyor of Her said Majesty, Her Heirs, Successors, or Assigns; And the said messuage or tenement, nessuages or tenements, "erections, buildings and premises, so being well and sufficiently repaired, "sustained and amended, at the end, or sooner determination of the said term

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