ENG-1949 — Page 104

HOUSING

Urban Housing

The majority of the Chinese population lives in four- storey tenements. Each of the upper floors of these tenements consists of one large room, sub-divided into cubicles measuring about 64 square feet; and a communal kitchen, and usually accommodating not less than three or four families. The ground floor is usually used for light industry or for shops. In many of the older types of building no provision is made for bathrooms or latrines and public conveniences and bath houses are therefore maintained in the poorer districts. A large proportion of the city was built in the early days of the Colony when town planning was little practised and the major defects of housing are a result The of the absence at that time of controlling legislation. Public Health and Buildings Ordinance of 1903 was framed in accordance with the standards of structure and hygiene prevailing in Hong Kong and in Europe at that time but Control of those standards fall far short of modern ideals. domestic buildings is now obtained through the Buildings Ordinance, 1935, which provides amongst other things for the improvement of lighting and ventilation in old buildings and the provision of yards and scavenging lanes, latrines and bathrooms. Buildings erected since 1935 show a great improvement over the old tenements, but modern ideals of housing are constantly advancing and a new and more up- to-date Ordinance is being planned.

European-Type Housing

In the urban area there is an increased number of buildings similar to European flats. These are also erected to a height of four storeys and are found bordering the city area. They are similar to flats in the United Kingdom but are provided with verandahs, greater window space and servants' accommodation. Europeans and many of the more well-to-do Chinese occupy this type of flat.

In the suburban area of Victoria and Kowloon are

consisting of European residences

detached or semi- detached two or three storey buildings not unlike those in the suburbs of the United Kingdom.

Further away from the town and dotted about all over the hillsides including the Peak are many large European type residences, occupied by Europeans or Chinese. In most cases approach roads have had to be cut deep into the hill sides to reach these houses. Since the war large blocks of modern flats, six to eight storeys in height, have been built by Government or by private enterprise. Increased land values, due mainly to the large number of people requiring

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