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middle levels, that the question be thoroughly investigated by the Govern- ment of the practicability of serving the Bowen and May Road levels by two different (covered-in) sections of moving platforms or staircases, one from the bottom Tram Station or thereabouts to Bowen Road, and the other from Bowen Road to May Road.

Sub-Head (3)--Encouragement of Building, and Government Facilities.

23. In addition to the suggestions under the head Measures for Decreasing the Cost of Housing Accommodation' (see paragraphs 66 to 107), we make the following recommendations.

Government facilities for

housing

labourers.

* 24. The evidence before us (see paragraph 25) shows that further building labour cannot be attracted to this Colony, unless provision is made for housing such labourers at a moderate rental; and accordingly building. it is of paramount importance to secure the cheap housing of workmen engaged in the building trades. We, therefore, recommend that the Government should afford assistance to house Chinese workmen engaged in the building trades by-

(1) Granting land cheap to persons on condition that they build tene- ment-houses ready for occupation by workmen engaged in the building trades, within a period of 6 months or the shortest period practicable.

(2) Allowing to building contractors facilities for more workmen's

matsheds near the building works on which they are engaged.

(3) Allowing workmen to live on the ground-floors of Chinese tene- ment-houses which they are erecting, when the second-floor is being built, and so on (see Mr. White's evidence at page 2 in Enclosure 8 (3) ).

* 25. We also recommend that the Government build, in various districts, and rent out at cheap rents, houses for the occupation of Chinese workmen engaged in the building trades. From the answers which we have received to question; 1 (6) in our circular letter of the 9th April, 1923, (Enclosure 1), there seems to be little doubt that, if only sufficient accommodation were provided for labourers in the building trades at reasonable rents, a sufficient supply of skilled labourers for building would be willing to come into the Colony. On this point the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce say, in their letter (39) in Enclosure 1: "There is no scarcity of skilled labourers, and procuration of more such is not difficult, but the labourers in the interior of China would always hesitate before coming to Hongkong, considering the high rent and the high cost of living here. Later on in the same letter the Chamber state: "This Chamber is strongly of the opinion that the Government should be urged to build two or three hundred houses in each of the following districts, namely, Causeway Bay, Kennedy Town, Yaumati and Mongkoktsui, etc.; and also extend the trainlines so as to make them easily accessible. The Government could build these houses at a cost of $4,000 to $5,000 each, reckoning on a 5% or 6% return, each house could be let at $20 to $30 a month. Thus the middle class and the working class inhabitants in the Colony will be rescued from the hardship of paying high and excessive rent, and simultaneously the rent in the whole Colony will be restored to its normal condition. My Committee cannot too strongly emphasize the fact that this would be the only solution of the problem, and beg of their views being represented to the Government.

This view is shared by the firm of contractors Messrs. Wing Lee & Co. in their letter (35) in Enclosure 1; by contractor Chan Sing in his letter (29); by contractor Lam Woo in his letter (14); and by the Kowloon Residents' Association in their letter (41), in the same enclosure. See, too, Mr. White's evidence at page 12 in Enclosure 8 (3).

Government to build houses for housing building. labourers.