Sessional_Paper_1906 — Page 382

GENERAL REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL CIVIL MEDICAL OFFICER

AND THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.

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AREA.

The Sanitary Board's jurisdiction extends to the Island of Hongkong, which has an area of 29 square miles, and to that portion of territory on the mainland between the shore and the first range of the Kowloon Hills extending from the village of Tseung Kwan O in Junk Bay, on the East, to the village of Kau Pa Hang on the West-with a sea frontage of about thirteen miles and an area of about sixteen square miles. Old Kow- loon, with an area of about 2 square miles, has been in British occupation since 1861, but New Kowloon was leased to this Government in 1898 only, as part of what is known as the New Territory. The remainder of this New Territory is not under the jurisdiction of the Sanitary Board..

The City of Victoria, built on the Northern shore of the Island of Hongkong, has a frontage to the sea of nearly five miles and is separated from the opposite mainland of Kowloon by the Harbour, which is rather less than a mile and a third wide opposite the centre of the City and widens out to somewhat over three miles at its widest part, con- tracting again at Lyemun Pass on the East to little more than a quarter of a mile in width.

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The domestic buildings of the City of Victoria number 9,537 exclusive of Barracks and Police Stations, of which some 966 are non-Chinese dwellings, while there are also some 154 European dwellings in the Hill District. The number of new houses completed during the year was as follows:-City of Victoria 182, Kowloon 44, Outlying districts 33, and Peak 1, making a total of 260.

In addition to the above there were erected miscellaneous buildings such as offices, godowns, etc., to the number of 30.

In the Kau U Fong area of Victoria there were cleared away 37 old buildings, and 3 other houses in different parts of the City were vacated with a view to being cleared away shortly.

GENERAL SANITARY CONDITION.

The effect of the present law in providing increased window area for houses is very marked as far as the appearence of houses from the streets is concerned.

Unfortunately in existing buildings there is the old difficulty of not being able to sub-divide the floors into separately lighted apartments.

Under the former law (anterior to 1894) there were built many houses with very small window area. During 1905 2,512 houses have had there windows enlarged to comply with the present Ordinance.

Open spaces in the rear have been provided to 147 houses.

Cement rendering of walls in kitchens has been carried out in 2,108 cases.

In connection with anti-plague measures to render houses rat-proof if possible, 1,088 ground surfaces in houses have been reconcrete i while 967 such have had existing concrete repaired. In addition 4 basements illegally inhabited have been altered so as to be legally habitable and 59 houses have been set back from their original frontage so as to obtain in- creased air spaces in front.

In addition to the above improvements carried out under the supervision of the Sanitary Department various other permanent improvements have been effected by the Public Works Department.