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certain 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.
I accordingly adopted the modus vivendi 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.
There is likewise an increase in the Foreign and Local Junk Trades of 178,747 tons and 79,263 tons, respectively.
The total increase over last year in the number of ships entered and cleared at this port is no less than 5,551 vessels aggregating 845,203 tons-a distinct improvement even on the exceptionally good returns for 1893.
:
The passenger traffic returns shew an increase of 25,186 in the number of emigrants, but immigration has fallen off considerably doubtless on account of the prohibition in force during several months in respect of certain neighbouring ports infected with the plague.
Chinese seamen's boarding-houses have recently been inspected and licensed for the first time, and there are now 67 such houses duly licensed, affording accommodation for 1,120 men.
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The criminal statistics are gratifying, and there has been no repetition of the riots which occurred in the early part of last year. The public peace has been efficiently preserved by the Police, and with the exception of the coolie strike, which took place at the latter end of March last in connection with the enforcement of the bye-laws for the regulation of common lodging-houses, and the robbery with violence on the 18th and 22nd instant, there is, I rejoice to say, no "Police News" worthy of record.
The firm attitude of the Government during the coolie strike was, however, not maintained without loss and inconvenience to the commercial community, but the cir- cumstances did not admit of concession, and looking to future interests it will, I think, be generally admitted that the success achieved was not too dearly, purchased.
The community is indebted to the Naval and Military Authorities for their ready assistance in the emergency, and the Police, as usual, did excellent work in keeping order and relieving the situation as far as possible by providing coolies and cargo boats for the several firms.
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