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It is not for the welfare of the poor to have the valuable space occupied by their small rooms narrowed in order to provide for a model privy, a superb kitchen and sumptuous back-yard of 10 feet wide while at the same time the wicked landlords continue to charge the same rent or even a higher one for improvements and increased capital necessary to effect such improvements.
Just fancy the position of the poor tenant if this Bill becomes law. He will be forced to pay an enormous rent for less space than before plus all sorts of sanitary improvements which however good in themselves from a European standpoint, they do not care for and which they think at least their constitutions do not require. They may say that they are habituated to such cities like Cantou, Kowloon City, &e. : compared to which Hongkong as it now stands is a paradise, a model of clean- liness, a perfect sanitarium, and that if more improvements are required let those who advocate them pay for them and not they."
The Bill as drafted by the Sanitary Board was remodelled by embodying in it the principal provisions of the more important Bye-laws proposed to be made under it, and on the 6th of May, 1887, the Acting Attorney General moved the first reading of it in the Legislative Council quoting in support of the Bill the report of Mr. Chadwick referred to by the Chamber of Commerce, and urging Mr. Chadwick's remarks as a justification for a drastic Sanitary measure. Among the most important provisions of the Bill were the following:
Open Spaces around Dwellings.
(a.) That in any new building a basement intended for human habitation should not be allowed to abut on the hillside, but should have a space of 4 feet clear between it and the hillside.
(6.) That, subject to an appeal to the Governor in Council, in any new domestic building a clear space forming a back-yard of at least 10 feet in width along the entire back of such building and kept at all times open to the sky, should be provided.
Overcrowding.
(c.) That every domestic building or portion thereof found to be inhabited in excess of a propor- tion of oue a iult to every 300 cubic feet of clear internal space should be considered to be in an
overcrowded condition.
It was mentioned by the mover of the Bill that this latter provision was calculated to displace 20,000 of the population.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Bill excited as was foreshadowed by Dr. Ho Kai's memo- randum a storm of opposition.
Bill.
The first reading was followed by a series of leading articles in the "Daily Press " against the
On the 11th of Nay, a deputation of Chinese waited on the Acting Governor and addressed His Excellency on the subject of the Bill,
They pointed out that the provision of 10 feet backyards, kitchens and privies would cost from 10 to 20 million dollars. That the power classes would suffer by the curtailment of accommoda- tion; that the privies for common use were against Chinese social habits; and that no compensation was offered. On the 23rd of June a memorial praying for the postponement of the consideration of the measure and signed by all the Un-official Members, the representatives of all the lending Euro- pean or American Firms in the Colony and by a very large number of Chinese, was presented in the Council Chamber to His Excellency Major-General Cameron, the Acting Governor.
The memorial contained a statement that the signatories "had great doubts as to the foundation for the deplorable picture drawn of the Sanitary Coulition and prospects of Hongkong based upon statements made 13 years ago" (referring to Dr. Ayres' report of 1874), and the then Senior Un- official Member of the Legislative Council (Honourable P. Ryrie) said that while the memorialists had no objection to such Sanitary measures as were necessary to preserve the health of those who occupied tenements in the Colony, they objectal to several clauses of the Bill which interfered with their property. He indicated specially the clanse requiring 10 feet back-yards.
The late Mr. Granville Sharp in the course of some remarks adverse to the Bill stated that tha wemorial had been signed "by the whole community."
On the 3rd of July a large meeting of Chinese was held at the Tung Wa Hospital against the Bill.
"China Mail" of 12th May, 1887.
Supplement to "Daily Press" of 7th July, 1887.
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