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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH DECEMBER, 1895.
Profiting by last year's experience, and looking to the prevalence of the plague in the neighbourhood of the Colony during the early part of 1895, I appointed a Committee of Officials to consider what exceptional measures should be taken to protect the Colony against the re-appearance of the disease, or, in the event of its re-appearing, to limit its ravages as far as possible. Temporary hospital accommodation and burial grounds were at their suggestion provided,—and arrangements made for the removal of patients, the isolation of those who had been in immediate contact with the disease, and the disinfection and cleansing of infected premises. It was further deemed advisable to prohibit Chinese immigration from certain infected neighbouring ports for several months during the year, but this restriction was not continue longer than was absolutely necessary. The precautions taken against the recurrence of the plague and the timely arrangements made for dealing with it have been efficacious. I am glad to inform you that only 29 cases have occurred during the year, and that at no time was an epidemic threatened.
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In accordance with the recommendation of a Committee of Enquiry into the Medical Department, a Medical Officer of Health has recently been appointed. I regret to state that there has been some misunderstanding between the Government and the Unofficial Members of the Sanitary Board in regard to this appointment, and it may not be out of place here to
In explain briefly the position of the Government in this matter.
address to this Council on the 28th November last, I expressed my own views, which coincided with those of the Retrenchment Committee, regarding the Sanitary Board as hitherto constituted. I deprecated the division of responsibility which such a constitution involved, and I urged the desirability of placing the sanitary system on a different basis. Some opposition has been offered to my views in certain quarters, and it is not improbable that a compromise will eventually be In this suggested by the Secretary of State, but as yet no decision has been arrived at. uncertain state of affairs, I was unwilling to assign any definite position to the newly appointed Medical Officer as the subordinate of a Body which might, at any time, cease to exist.
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I accordingly adopted the modus virendi which was offered to me by the suggestion of the Medical Committee and which afforded the Government an opportunity of weighing the further recommendations of the Committee in regard to the reconstitution of the medical staff, on which the future position of the Medical Officer of Health must, to a great extent, depend. I should not have thought it necessary to make this explanation were it not for certain insinuations which have been made as to the motives of the Government. There are those who have pretended to see in the action of the Government an attempt to deal a death- blow to the Sanitary Board. I disclaim any such motive; and even had such been my object, I should at least have adopted measures better calculated to effect it-measures which would have left no doubt whatever as to my intentions.
As a matter of fact, however, the responsibility of deciding this vexed question does not rest with me. Having expressed my views, my duty ends, and I can only hope that whatever conclusion may be arrived at, it will effectually secure the sanitary well-being of this community, which after all is our common object.
Turning to other matters of general interest, the shipping returns up to the 30th September last are more than encouraging.
For the first 9 months of this year, as compared with the corresponding period of last year, British shipping shews an increase of 378 vessels aggregating 575,306 tons.
Foreign shipping with a numerical decrease of 75 ships also shews an increase in tonnage of 11,887 tons. European vessels have handled and carried some 276,000 tons of cargo more than last year.