12. With regard to the segregating of persons found in infected premises it has been the practice in all cases to allow them the option of proceeding to Canton or of being housed in one of the marriage boats. In the majority of instances the former alternative has been readily accepted, only 21 persona being provided with accommodation afloat. On the 26th June the last batch was released.
DISINFECTION OF HOUSES.
13. In respect of the disinfection of houses in which cases of bubonic plague have occurred the provisions of Bye-law No. 25, made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, have been rigidly enforced, and every article destroyed that could not be satisfactorily disinfected. In the case of the houses in Heung Lane, after fumigation with sulphur and clearing out all the moveable contents, the floors, walls and ceilings were thoroughly saturated with the acid solution of perchloride of mercury as recommended in a Memorandum of the 26th August, 1892, by Dr. R. THORNE THORNE of the Medical Department of the Local Government Board.
14. It will be observed that most of the cases of bubonic plague cccurred in No. 6 Health District Mr. HORE, the District Inspector, is deserving of praise for the painstaking way in which he has discharged a trying and, to say the least, disagreeable duty.
LATRINE DISINFECTION,
15. The addition of Chlorinated Lime to the night-soil in public latrines, which had been discontinued at the end of May, was resumed in the case of the Heung Lane Latrine on the outbreak of bubonic plague in that locality and maintained until all danger of a further development of the disease in the vicinity had disappeared. For failing to comply with the Board's order in this matter and for a breach of one of the latrine bye-laws the keeper was fined $50 by the presiding Magistrate.
MEZZANINE FLOORS AND CUBICLES.
16. The work involved in enforcing compliance with the provisions of sections 7 and 8 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, the controlling of which had been delegated to us as a Select Committee of the Board, made satisfactory progress in the case of the worst class of houses in the City especially in districts Nos. 7 and 8, at the West, and Nos. 1 and 2 at the East end of the city. As, however, the Inspectors in charge of the Central Districts of the city proceeded it became evident that in granting permission for the retention of cocklofts in rooms partitioned into separate compartments the practice hitherto followed of dealing with each case on its merits could not be successfully pursued, and that clearly defined conditions applicable to all cases should be drawn up for the guidance of the Executive. 17. The question as to whether the owner or occupier should be held responsible for complying with the law was also fully considered. In many cases the cocklofts are the property of the tenants; in others they belong to the owner. The Committee therefore decided to adopt the plan that had been found to work so well in the case of the illegal occupation of basements, viz., of serving the notice on both the owner and occupier. The notice on the occupier specified in schedule C to our last report was therefore discontinued and a new form, after meeting with the approval of the Attorney General adopted, (appendix C).
18. The conditions drawn up by the Committee on the subject of cocklofts in buildings erected before and after the passing of The Closed Houses and Insanitary Dwellings Ordinance (15 of 1894) which, after submission to and approval by the full Board, were published in the Government Gazette and in the English and Chinese newspapers, will be found embodied in the notifications included in appendix D.
19. Up to date, notices with copies of the Board's conditions attached, to comply with the provisions of sub-section 1 of section 7 and sub-section b of section 8, have been served on the owners and occupiers in the case of 433 cocklofts and cubicles. So far this change of tactics has met with the best results, and it is confidently hoped that within six months all illegal cocklofts will have been
removed.
BASEMENTS.
20. A complete list of the basements illegally occupied on the 1st of April, and on the owners and occupiers of which notices have been served, will be found in appendix E. The return does not include the very large number of basements in No. 7 District which were closed during the epidemic plague last year and which are among the worst in the whole City. Great credit is due to Acting Inspector MACEWEN for the energy he has displayed in preventing their re-occupation as dwellings.
21. Under our joint personal supervision the whole of the basements in districts Nos. 4, 5 and 6, have been inspected at night. In all 244 inspections have been made before, and 140 after, midnight
The District Inspectors, Messrs. BURNETT, REIDIE and HORE, are doing their utmost to prevent their now illegal occupation.
PERMITS FOR COCKLOFTS AND BASEMENTS.
22. In a memo. dated the 9th of July (appendix F) the Committee referred for the consideration of the full Board the question as to whether permits for the retention of cocklofts, under section and for the occupation of basements under section 6, should be granted to the owner or occupier. W are of opinion that the fullest publicity should be given to the fact that the Board has unanimously decided to grant such permits to the landlord only.