Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 748

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sides, each cooking range would also have a separate flue, which is not usually the case, the smoke from the lower cook-house generally finding its way into and filling the cook-house immediately above it. The new cook-houses, thus having plenty of light and ventilation, and good flues will easily be kept clean and sweet, especially as there will be no dark corners for dirt to accumulate.

11. An iron verandah, 6 feet wide in the clear (or 2 feet wider than the usual iron balconies now permitted in the public streets) is proposed to be erected in the "Open Yard" at the level of each floor, this verandah will give access to all the rooms on each floor.

12. An unusually good, wide and well ventilated, and well lighted general staircase is provided, the steps being of hard wood 4 feet wide (and with iron balusters) enabling the occupants to easily pass each other when ascending or des- cending. This staircase communicates with each floor of the building. I wish to draw the special attention of the Committee to this staircase, as one of the features of the proposed new buildings. The ordinary staircase in the usual type of Chinese houses in the Colony (including even good ones) is dark, rickety and very steep, in fact, absolutely dangerous: knowing them as I do, the wonder has been, more accidents have not occurred. I have on several occasions endeavoured to get a clause inserted in the Building Ordinances limiting the height and tread of steps in Chinese Dwellings as is done in the Building Bye-laws of Municipal Towns in England and other places. Ground in this City is valuable, in the future it will become more so, the ten lency will be to increase the height of new buildings, which means also the making of the staircases much steeper than they are now, and conse- quently more dangerous, as is now the case in nearly all 4-storied houses. The steps in the suggested new type of house, would be 12 inches wide and 6 inches rise. In some Chinese good houses, the tread is only 53 inches and height 9 inches. It requires practice, and a cool head, to descend a long flight of say 4 stories of such steps, especially when there is only a rope to hang-on too, or an apology for a hand rail. I had occasion some time ago, to show the late Mr. S. BRowN (Surveyor General) such a staircase, and it was only with the greatest difficulty we got him down safely. A recommendation from your Committee on this matter would probably be the means of a clause on the lines now suggested, being introduced into any new or amended Building Ordinance. The minu tread of steps in any house used for human habitation should be 8 inches and the maximum rise of the step 8 inches.

13. It will be noticed that each habitable room is unusually well lighted and ventilated, most of the rooms on each floor having large doors and windows on thre sides, and the others on two sides, none of them having any obstructions of any kind. These would give the respective rooms an ext aordinary amount of light and ventilation in every direction, and it is a well known fact, that the more light and ventilation you have (even in Chinese houses) in rooms, especially such as are now referred to (which would be both living and sleeping rooms), the cleaner and sweeter they would be kept by the occupants, in addition to which, they would be more conclusive to the improved health and general tone of the people living there- in. Each room opens direct on to the 6-feet verandah, which would be for all practical purposes, an extension of the respective rooms abutting on to it.

It is also proposed to have iron balconies, 4 feet wide, on the first and second floors of such blocks as have a frontage to the 50 feet wide public streets.

14. If it would be thought desirable (of which I have no doubt in my own opinion) I have provided for Ablution Rooms on the first and second floors, as it cannot but be thought objectionable, that men, women, and children should have no alternative but to perform these necessary duties, either in the cook-house (which is required and used for other purposes) or in the presence of their fellow lodgers.