Sessional_Paper_1938 — Page 274

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Plan No. 2 shows the normal type which has developed as a result of the 1903 Ordinance. The frontage is still limited to less than 16′ 0′′ as it is still governed by the normal usable length of the China fir pole, with which the roofs. and floors of most of these houses are constructed. The open space in rear has been increased and latrine accommodation has been provided. The latter however is still hopelessly inadequate, as it is inaccessible from the upper floors. No facilities for bathing are provided but, whilst desirable, it is not absolutely essential, as the kitchen can be used for the purpose. The stairs are steep, dark and narrow and usually constructed of wood of poor quality. The main living room, although an improvement on the previous type, is still deep and narrow and inner compartments have no direct access to light and air. Most of the houses in Kowloon, and later developments in Victoria, are of this type and many are still being built but with the addition of a latrine on each floor and a more compact stairway

The staircase has

In Plan No. 3 Type A is seen the latest development. been greatly improved and a latrine is provided on each floor and in some cases a small bathroom is also included. Again, however, the plan of the living room is substantially the same, deep and narrow, although, with reinforced concrete con- struction, the width is no longer restricted by the China fir pole. What does keep the width from being increased is the great depth of the building lot, which makes increased width uneconomical. From the point of view of health only, there is little to complain about in this type, provided each floor is occupied solely by one normal family.

25. Economical pressure, unfortunately, necessitates from two to six families sharing a floor, as a rule, and, as present standards in Hong Kong permit between ten and twelve people to occupy such a floor, then the normal manner of use cannot be considered satisfactory. The narrow and deep type of room renders privacy possible only at the expense of free circulation of light and air.

The room can only be divided by means of cubicles; the walls of these cubicles cannot be taken up to the ceiling, as all light and air would be cut off from inner compartments. They are therefore merely fixed screens and the whole floor is virtually one room. In a place like Hong Kong, where infectious diseases and epidemics are ever present, the spread of disease is facilitated by such an arrangement. Whilst the arrangement permits of through ventilation it is only in very hot weather that windows are kept open, and then only at the wish of the occupants of the outer compart- The occupants of the inner cubicles can have no say in the matter.

ments.

26. Another fault with the present type of tenement is that it is bigger than the absolute minimum requirements of a family, i.e., in view of normal poverty it is bigger than the normal family can afford. When the rent of a whole floor is beyond the family means, and when the law permits the floor to be occupied by a greater number than the family consists of, it is only natural that the spare floor space should be rented out, and at a profit. This situation is systematically exploited and a middleman's profit are thus introduced, with the result that rents are increased for such accommodation as the poor require or, alternatively, the area is reduced for which the poor can afford to pay.

27. When the principal floor tenant sublets to all and sundry family life is handicapped and parental control over children is rendered difficult.

28. In Paragraph 25 it has been stated that economic pressure necessitated from two to six families occupying one floor. In Paragraph 20 it has been stated that for a very large number of families the amount of rent which could normally be expected varied from nothing to $7.50 per month. Reference to the valuation tables in Appendix IV (Table 2) shows that, under private ownership, and dependant on land values and shop rents, the rents for flats in the standard tenement must vary between $18 and $28 per month at 6% nett interest, which is the normal return expected by private enterprise. Even at 4% nett interest rents must be between $13 and $16. With an average rent paying capacity of $5 per family of five or six overcrowding is inevitable, and the law is powerless to prevent it.