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185 (63) --
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1895/6.
24. In the opening speech of the Session of the Legislative Council the Hansard Governor said he regretted to state there had been some misunderstanding between Page 4. the Government and the unofficial members of the Sanitary Board in regard to the appointment of Medical Officer of Health.
Some opposition had been offered to his views in certain quarters and it is not improb- able that a compromise will eventually be suggested by the Secretary of State but as yet no decision had been arrived at. In this uncertain state of affairs I was unwilling to assign any definite position to the newly appointed Medical Officer of Health as the Subordinate of a Body which at any time migh! cease to exist.
1895/6.
14th Decem-
Pages 19/20.
25. In the Legislative Council on 14th December, 1895, the Honourable Mr. Hansard T."H. WHITEHEAD complained of the action of the Government in regard to the Page 20. Sanitary Board, and of the protracted delay on the part of the Government in Hansard reconstructing the Board on a proper basis. He said His Excellency the Gover- ber, 1905. nor in his opening address to the Council on 28th November, 1894, then said :- "That a Sanitary Board, meeting once a fortnight, could properly control and direct such a staff I do not believe, and that four or five independent gentlemen could be found who have time and inclination to devote several hours daily to such a task is beyond the bounds of possibility, I hope shortly to be in a position to inform you definitely what steps it has been decided to take to place the Sanitary Board on a new basis." A year later, at the opening of the Session, His Excellency made an explanation and states, "Some opposition has been offered to my views in certain quarters and it is not improbable that a compromise will eventually be suggested by the Secretary of State, but as yet no decision has been arrived at. 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.”
Sanitary methods in Shanghai and Singapore under the manage- ment of a Municipal Council have so far given satisfactory results, while our system is continually and adversely criticised and not without good reason, as the most obnoxious and the most poisonous odours are to be met with in every street of the town. The accumulations of filth discovered in the native part of the city last year were permitted by official neglect. The blame cannot be attributed to the Sanitary Board, which never had power to carry out necessary work. Quite recently the Honourable the Colonial Secretary spoke at a public meeting and bore testimony to the quality of Hongkong residents. He said:" So far as the public spirit is concerned I have never known any object worthy of support brought forward which has not received support in every way from the inhabitants of Hongkong.
I have new come across such a wi informed community; it has been acknowledged as a mos enlightened community, and such a standard of intelligence could not have been maintained except by. reading." With the Honourable member I can cordially agree in this instance and I believe that we have in our midst men eminently well qualified to render good service on a properly constituted Sanitary Board.
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26. The following is an extract from the Colonial Surgeon's Report for 1894, concerning the Sanitary Board –
"As a compulsory member of the Board words are insufficient express "my disgust at, in any way being a part of it
I leave
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"the Colony for a time with regret. The only thing I do not regret leaving "is the Sanitary Board as a Body and I hope before I return there will be
some improvement as to the individual Members.”
C+
27. Mr. W. DANBY wrote to the Press calling attention to the crusade being 1896. 14th waged against illegal cocklofts, etc., and formally alleging corruption in the Sanitary May. Administration.
28. The Daily Press said the Government would have to sift the matter to 15th May. the bottom either by a Commission or otherwise.
29. A resolution of the Sanitary Board was passed that the Colonial Secretary 22nd May. be requested to furnish the Board with the opinion of the legal advisers of the Crown as to whether any legal steps can be taken with a view to obtaining redress for the apparent misrepresentation made against the Board and its officers in Mr.
· DANBY'S letter.