90,
HONGKONG AND THE HOUSING Į
QUESTION.
1
[WEITTEN FOR THE "DAILY PRESS."] The housing of the population of Hongkong is, a question that has exercised the minds of our authorities for many years and despite earnest attempts at its solution the problem still faces us. “There is no disguising The fact that the evils of overcrowding are as pronounced as they were before the passing of the Public "Health Ordinance in 1903 and that notwith- standing glowing reports of good work done there is evidence that only the fringe has been touched. Admittedly the resumptions which have been undertaken by the Government have proved of incalculable benefit to the areas which were so fortunately situated as to come within their scope, but they have been very costly, and the work has been so tardy that it does not seem inopportune now to suggest that the ex isting conditions demand the application of moe speedy me sures, either as palliatives orreforms. With a view to bettering the housing of the Chinese, the whole of the Sanitary and Building Ordinances were consolidated in one Bill which became the "Public Health and Buildings Ordinance of 19 3." One of its principal provisions was the abolition of cabioles, the idea being that speculators would be compelled to build suitable houses which would contain legal rooms, but unfortunately the desired result has not been achieved and the enactment is for all practical purposes nugatory. True, the wooden partitions which divided the floor of the Chinese house into so many apartments have been removed-thus complying with the letter of the Ordinance-but they have been replaced by cloth curtains or sacking, which are more objectionable inasmuch as they afford less privacy and are dirtier and more insanitary. This we can affirm as the result of independent inquiry.
-HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
There is only one stuffy little kitchen avail. able to the residents of each floor for culinary uses. Other conveniences there are nons, not even a constant supply of water, and there can be little wonder that with darkness, absence of | fresh air, overcrowding, lack of ordinary son: veniences, not to speak of a plentiful supply of water, and impossibility of enjoying ablutions, it is very difficult to keep those cubicles clean.
Were the law enforced and only legal rooms permitted, ¿e., a window provided for each cubicle, some measure of improvement would be apparent, but at present the only result of enforcing the law abolishing cubicles is to harass the unfortunate tenants who experience a bad time when the Sanitary Inspector comes round and. insists on the woodwork being taken down. The owner escapes all the worry and trouble except perhaps indirectly, when he may experience difficulty in letting a floor, but that contingency will not ocour very often in a city where overcrowding is so ampant as here.
That the problem is not an insoluble one bas already been proved. As your correspondent "Pro Bono Publico" recently pointed out, a block of houses has just been erected on the east side of Hill Road, capable of accommodating at least 300 people. There the six tenements have lateral windows, a very ordinary convenience has been placed in each, and there are proper apartments, well lighted, and on the whole possessing some degree of comfort and privacy In existing tenements that are not on areas sel oted for resumption the application of similar methods as a palliative is surely not unworthy of consideration, pending some more drastic measure of reform which will not be so slow nor so expensive as the present policy of resumption."
".
COMMERCIAL.
SILK.
Raw
[F· bruary 5, 1908.
PIECE GOODS:
Messrs. Nool, Murray & Co.'s Report on the Shanghai Piece Goods Trade, dated Shanghai, 18th January, 1908, states: It is now within a week of the close of the Native year, truly a year of contradictions; and the unexpected has onde more happened, for, contrary to the usual course of the trade at this particular season, there has sprung up such an active demand for heavy Cotton goods ns to quite raise the hopes of importers, who were on the point of despair at the contempla tion of their rapidly accumulating stocke, and no apparent outlet for them. The Northern buyers have come to the rescue chiefly, and, assisted by an understanding that has been come to amongst the dealers here with the object of upholding prices, there is a very much better prospect for trade than has been the case for months past, Although the bulk of the transactions have been in American makes Manchester goods are not alto- gether neglected, though the bogus reports of sales - are getting more misleading than ever. In the market book to-day for instance, numerous large transactions are credited to a prominent firm, but on investigation they turn out to be merely the prices at which their chief dealer is willing to resell at. No doubt some have been resold, but only a fraction of the quantities published. Speaking generally clearances have been distinctly better, this no doubt being accounted for by the more favorable exchange obtainable now than for next month, which enables holders to be more lenient in their demands if they can get prompt cash. Some of the resales of American makes are most erratic, and exemplify the necessity of the dealers coming to the understanding they have done, at the same time showing the nervous state of anxiety to which some of the weak holders were reduced. Manchester keeps very strong with prices some ten per cent, over sales here, which should help to cur tail the supply and put the trade on a more stable footing again. Resales of both Grey and Bleached goods on that market, which we understand have not been infrequent, will help to reliève the situa- tion here. The size of the Cotton crop still seems. From the superficial observation exercised by
to be a bone of contention and is doubtless the the ordinary citizen taking a walk through Chinatown it is very apparent that the densely dated Shanghai, January, 18th, 1906, states:-The 8.22d. while Egyptian is 8.25d. In New York cause of the constabt fluctuation. According to Messrs. A. E. Burkill & Sons' Silk Circular, latest advices Mid American has advanced to packed hovels, more like rabbit hutches than
home markets are firm. Gold Kiling is quoted in the dwellings of human beings, are a menace to London at 12-1) and in Lyons at Fes. 34.
the latest quotation for July option" is 11.91. Stocks:-The the public health and certainly no credit to any Silk.-Market firm but quiet.
The Goods market is unchanged. A few settlements community. In the neighbourhood of Old of Tsatlees have been made at a small advance in Taipingshan the unsightly erections, swarming-Tael prices. Yellow Silks-A small business has with people with equalor, filth and dirt staring
eyisitor in the face, are veritable dens of dark ness. Supposing we enter any of those houses' what do we find? The most wretched condi- tions in which it is possible to imagine any people. Take a typical house, not the worst by any means, It is three or four storeys in height. Each storey consists of one long room, about 60 feet in length and 13 feet in width, and a kitchen attached, The ground floor is perhaps occupied as a workshop, with sleeping accommodation for about ten persons beyond. The second floor is usually a family flat. The owner lets it to one person at a rent varying from $14 to $24, dependent on the looslity, and he or she sublets it in portions to a num ber of married couples, usually six, occasionally more, who pay rents sufficient to afford a margin of profit to the actual tenant. As the room is long and narrow, extending from the front of the house to the back without lateral windows, it will be easily understood that the greater part of the apartments are in darkness and also deficient in ventilation; only the cubicle next the window has any light or fresh air. The occupants of the others, if they wish to do any work, must light lamps or candles, even in broad daylight. Truly, a sad state of affairs. But this is not all. Besides the families which occupy the cubicles-and a cubicle really consists of a bed space curtained off, affording little or no privacy and absolutely not the slightest degree of comfort or convenience -there are as a rule several beds or banks in the remaining portion of the room on which the tenant or perhaps some single men may sleep, and the amount of overcrowding which this arrangement causes is sometimes to have over 20 people sleeping in one room. The third floor may be a men's flat, and consists of a number of bunks, certificated to accommodate 10, 12, or 14 persons. With the exception of the outside walls, the building is of the flimsiest wood, and it is not difficult to imagine what an awful death roll there would be should the premises caoth fire,
been done in Miengangs. Steam Filatures.--Con- tinue to be taken in small lots for Lyons. Hand Filatures.--A fair business has been done in this class of Silk for Lyons. to report.
Waste Silk-No change
SUGAR.
dency continues, market being very dull.
HONGKONG, 5th February.-A downward ten-
$8.40 to $8.45pél. Shekloong, No. 1, White
2, White...... 7.20 to 7.25 1, Brown...... 6.30 to 6.35 2, Brown...... 5.30 to No. 1, White...... 8.00 to
Do.
Do.
Do.
Swatow,
Do. Do.
"
Do.
#1
"
5.45
8.10
"
7.15
*
6.05
19
5.60 to 5.65
2, White...... 7.10 to 1, Brown...... 6.00 to 2. Brown Foochow Sugar Candy....10.50 to 10 60 9.55 to 9,60 Shekloong
•
RICE. HONGKONG, 5th February.The prices are the same as when last reported. Saigon, Ordinary
"
.$2.80 to $2,85 Round, good quality. .................... 3.60 to 3.65 Long...
8.70 to 3.75 Siam, Field mill cleaned, No. 2...... 2.90 to 2.35 Garden. มิ No. 1...... 3.75 to 3.80 White,.
4.00 to 4.03 19. Fine Cargo
4.20 to 4.25
OPIUM. HONGKONG, 3rd February. Quotations are:-Allow'ce net to 1 catty. Malwa New
$1010 to Malwa Old
$1070 to
per pioul.
do.
do.
to
do. do. do..
Malwa Older....... .$1130 to Malwa V. Old............$1200 Persian fine quality ...$1100 to ..$1150 to Persian extra fine.
to .............................$930 Pama Old............. $926 ............$900 Benares New Benares Old
Patna New
22233233
per chest.
do. 42.
to
to
.$900 to
do.
secretary of the Chamber of Commerce still. complains of the dilatory manner in which the returns are coming in. It really makes one shiver to think of the appalling state the stock books of some Firms must be in if it takes more than two weeks to find out what they have got. Piece Goods-Trausactions continue to be almost entire- ly from second hand holders, and at prices that do not tempt Importers to sell. There is a much greater feeling of confidence in the future now, it being anticipated the demand will set in with renewed vigour after the holidays, and with the high prices in the home markets a good opportun- ity will be given to reduce stocks very materially before cheaper goods can be laid down here. The Auctions show a slight reaction, strange to say, in Cotton goods. The Yarn market is strong and ad- vancing for all kinds, and Native Cotton is firmer forward delivery.
Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co.'s fortnightly Produce Circular, dated Shanghai 24th January, 1906, states:-Gallnuts.The tone of the market and has strengthened since our last went to press, dealers are asking higher prices. As there was no offset for this rise by a drop in exchange, bus». |iness has been very restricted in the meantime, Cowhides.-The market keeps remarkably steady and Chinese are still getting the same high prices as a fortnight ago. There are no signs which point towards lower prices, and should exchange drop we are of opinion that Chinese will take full benefit of it and even raise their demands. To- bacco. Nothing doing. Feathers. → Arrivals aro very small and business is dull on account of the bad state of the home markets. Cotton-Prices, especially for Hanhow Cotton, have further-ad- vanced and export business is quite out of the question. Shanghai descriptions are also in better demand for local consumption. Tallow — There is some demand for white vegetable Tallow, but only a limited business has been done, 28 Chinese ideas of price do not suit home buyer.s Strawbraid. There is a strong demand for chesp Mottles, course Splits and fine soft Braids, Goatskin Rugs —There is a keen demand for all descriptions but supplies are rather small. Woof, de -Big lots have changed hands in the meantime and prices are consequently very firm.
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