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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 29TH OCTOBER, 1887.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 446.
The following Minutes of the Sanitary Board are published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 29th October, 1887.
FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.
Minutes of the proceedings of the Sanitary Board at a meeting held in the Board Room on Tuesday, the 26th July, 1887.
PRESENT:
The Honourable the Surveyor General, (Chairman).
The Acting Registrar General.
The Honourable A. P. McEWEN.
Dr. P. MANSON, LL.D.
Dr. Ho KAI.
HUGH MCCALLUM, Esquire, (Secretary).
The Colonial Surgeon.
Major T. C. DEMPSTER.
ABSENT:
N. J. EDE, Esquire, (on leave).
The Minutes of a meeting held on the 12th July, 1887, were read and confirmed.
1. Resolved;-that the draft letter recommending that the Board to be constituted under the new Public Health Ordinance should hold its meetings with open doors, except when in Committee, be transmitted to the Government.
2. Resolved; that a letter reporting the result of the experiment of towing daily the conservancy and dust boats to and from their stations on the Praya by means of the steam tug Stanley, and recom- mending that the services of the tug be discontinued until the present contracts expire, be transmitted to the Government.
3. The question of erecting free public latrines outside the Praya wall was again considered. Resolved; that, as an experiment, a latrine be erected outside the Praya wall in front of the triangular corner of vacant ground situated at the junction of Wing Lok Street with the Praya.
The Acting Registrar General dissented, as in his opinion the question of providing latrine accom- modation is one requiring further consideration.
Dr. Ho KAI dissented because;—
1. If every house has its own portable latrine there is no necessity for so many public
latrines.
2. If the subject of public latrines be further and thoroughly discussed he is sure other means
will be found to answer as well.
4. The question of instituting legal proceedings against over-crowding was considered. Resolved; the Board considers that legal opinion should be obtained, as to whether the Board has power to authorize the Inspectors of Nuisances to enter private houses at hours other than those laid down in Notification No. 385 in the Gazette of the 24th November, 1883, and also whether Members of the Board have any right of entry into private houses.
5. A Report by the Sub-Committee appointed to make arrangements for the temporary, accom- modation of the Lessees of Central Market Buildings pending the erection of the new Market was read and considered. Resolved;—that the recommendations made by the Sub-Committee be approved and submitted to the Government.
6. A return of the summonses applied for by the Inspectors of Nuisances during the weeks end- ing the 16th and 23rd July, 1887, was laid on the table by the Secretary. The Return showed that 21 prosecutions had been instituted, that in each case a conviction had been obtained, and that fines to the amount of $140.50 had been inflicted.
7. A Return by the Acting Registrar General showing the number of births and infantile deaths registered during the month of June, 1887, was laid on the table by the Secretary.
8. The Hon. A. P. McEwEN addressed the Board on the desirability of removing licensed Brothels to the outskirts of the city, pointing out that such a step would help to relieve the over-crowding existing in the central districts.
The Board then adjourned till 5 P.M. on Tuesday, the 9th August, 1887.
Read and confirmed, this 18th day of October, 1887.
WM. EDWARD Crow,
J. M. PRICE,
Chairman.
Acting Secretary,