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members above named, and two other unofficial members to be appointed by the Governor. Section III. gave powers to such Sanitary Board to abate overcrowding or filth, while section IV. conferred on the Board authority to enter and inspect houses. In 1886 Mr. A. P. MACEWEN and Dr. P. MANSON were appointed by the Governor the first unofficial members of the Sanitary Board. The meetings of the Board as then constituted were held in private, and little was known of their work and progress, but it is certain they were usefully employed, and made reconunend- ations concerning the Public Health Ordinance which was read a first time in the Legislative Council on the 6th May, 1887. This highly important and greatly needed cnactment, which, after a long discussion, was duly passed, sent to the Secretary of State, and approved by Her Majesty, contains all the powers necessary to secure the proper sanitation of the Colony. By it the Sanitary Board is authorized to make bye-laws respecting—
(a) Proper construction, trapping, ventilating, and maintaining of private
house drains.
(b) Cleansing, lime washing, and proper sanitary maintenance of all
premises in the Colony.
(c) Closing of premises unfit for human habitation and the prohibition of
their use as such.
(d) Prevention of overcrowding in premises, &c.
Nuisance.-
(a) Defective drains, want of light and ventilation, and accumulation of
house refuse, dirt, or any unwholesome matter.
(b) Any act, omission, or thing which is or may be dangerous to life or
injurious to health or property.
The Board may authorize any officer to enter and inspect premises on reasonable presumption of the existence of a nuisance, after lapse of six hours from giving notice to occupier.
If nuisance is not abated proviso is made for punishment by
Magistrate.
Drains.-The Board may require reconstruction of defective house drains and may inspect premises if they believe drains to be defective.
Overcrowding.-Less than 300 cubic feet of clear internal space for each adult shall be considered a nuisance, and proceedings for its abatement be taken.
In order the better to give effect to the Public Health Ordinance, the Governor (Sir G. WILLIAM DES VEUX) reconstituted the Sanitary Board, materially increasing the unofficial element, and giving the ratepayers the privilege of electing two gentlemen as their own immediate representatives. Unofficial members appointed and elected on the 11th June, 1888, were as follows :-
Messrs. WONG SHING,
JAMES CANTLIE,
N. J. EDE,
HO KAI,
J. J. FRANCIS,
J. D. HUMPHREYS,
-Appointed.
}
Elected.
On the reconstruction of the Board it was provided that its meetings should be held in public, and the proceedings have accordingly been regularly reported in the Press.
From what is above stated it will be apparent that the newly formed Sanitary Board was armed with very ample powers, and that it entered upon its period of office with the full knowledge of the urgent importance of effectively scavenging the City. Although this was the case it would seem that this department of the Board's work was never performed in the thorough manner which was absolutely necessary, for the state of Taiping-shan at the outbreak of the plague, so far as the accumulation of garbage and filth is concerned, could not have marked an improve- ment on the condition described by Mr. CHADWICK in 1881.
The much needed bye-laws for regulating the sanitary condition of common lodging houses were not made by the Board until 1891, and when these were approved by the Legislative Council in May of that year, the date of their coming into operation was, at the instance of the Board, deferred to the following year. It is alleged that representations on behalf of the Chinese in opposition to the provisions of the Public Health Ordinance against overcrowding and the possible interference with trade which would be caused by more active interference on their part, mainly
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