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EVIDENCE GIVEN BY MR. J. DYER BALL, ACTING ASSISTANT
REGISTRAR GENERAL OF HONGKONG, BEFORE THE
FOOD COMMISSION, JULY 17TH, 1900.
The Chairman (Mr. Francis).--You are Acting Assistant Registrar General at present, Mr. Ball?
A. Yes.
Q.-May I ask how long you have been in the Registrar General's Department? A. Since the 1st of September, 1898--first as Acting Registrar General and then as Acting Assistant Registrar General.
Q-The Registrar General's Department has the letting of the Markets in the Colony, we have been told?
A. Yes.
-Does it exercise any other control over them or interfere in any other way with the management of the Markets except in so far as the letting of the stalls is concerned?
A.-Market people approach us with petitions about anything they want attend- ing to and we make enquiries about anything which we understand requires seeing to, and in that way we do more than simply let the stalls.
Q-So that if any one has any complaint to make in connection with the work- ing of the Markets he would not to go to the Sanitary Board or to the Market Inspector but would complain to the Registrar General's Department?
A. They might in the first instance go to the Market Inspector, but they would go to the Registrar General ultimately. In many cases they might go direct to the Registrar General,
Q. Are the Market Inspectors for any purpose under the Registrar General ? A.-I cannot say they are.
Q.-Will you tell us what is the system under which the stalls in the Market are let? First, is there any Ordinance regulating the matter?
A. Yes, there is.
Q.--What is the Ordinance ?
A.--Seventeen of 1887, Part three.
Q. What is the short title of the Ordinance? What is it called?
A. The Cattle Diseases, Slaughter-houses, and Markets, 1887.
Q.--What are the sections that regulate the jurisdiction of the Registrar General ?
A.--Part three deals with the Markets, and certain sections in that give the Registrar General power and authority to act.
Q. Are there any rules and regulations made under that Part three of that Ordin- ance ?
A.--Yes.