187 (11) -
"by direction of the Secretary, of State amendments are made to various sections of the Principal Ordinance (i.e., No. 1 of 1903) by which a Sanitary Department is created and the Principal Civil Medical Officer is constituted its Administrative Head. The Bill after being read a first time was, with the objects and reasons appended to it, published in the Government Gazette of the 20th of November, 1903.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council held on the 7th December, 1903, the Attorney General in the course of his speech on the secoud reading of the Bill, said "other amendments which we propose in the Bill are suggested not by the Sanitary Board but by others who have had the working of the Bill under their charge and are responsible for it. In these amendments it is proposed to create a Sanitary Department. A Sanitary Department does exist but it is now proposed to recognise it by statute and to give the Principal Civil Medical Officer of the Colony the direct administration of that Department by holding him directly responsible. At the present time it is not possible to hold that officer directly responsible because he has no authority where he should have it."
The Council considered the Bill in Committee the same day and when section 3 which dealt with the constitution of the Board and status of the Principal Civil Medical Officer) was reached it was held over for further consideration.
On the 14th of December, 1903, the Council met again and section 3 was passed with an amendment moved by the Attorney General by which the Medical Officer of Health was not included among the ex officio Members of the Sanitary Board.
The Colonial Secretary explained that the amendment was made in deference to the wishes of the Un-official Members.
It is evident therefore that this section of the Ordinance received careful and somewhat detailed consideration especially by the Un-Official Members of Council.
It is worthy of notice that on the 21st May, 1903, that is, soon after Ordinance 1 of 1903 came into operation, the Sanitary Board delegated disciplinary powers over the Staff to the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Medical Officer of Health in the following resolution : "That the Board appoint a Select Committee consisting of the President and the Acting Medical Officer of Health under section 14 sub-section 2 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, for the purpose of inflicting fines for misconduct or neglect of duty." All the members of the Board were present including three of the sigatories of the report- Messrs. HEWETr, Fung Wa ChÜN and LAU CHU-PAK, and the resolution was carried nem.
con.
New Scheme.
16.-I disagree in toto from the recommendation made under this heading. An organisation composed of 4 co-equal heads of departments working under a Board of 6 busy members of the Community and 4 busy officials, all of whom have their time already fully occupied and who meet once a fortnight for the transaction of business, is one that judged by the standard of common-sense is foredoomed to failure.
The Commissioners argue not without some force that the Principal Civil Medical Officer cannot have sufficient time to administer the Department. How then can the proposed Chairman elected out of a body of 10 men whose time it is to be presumed is as fully occupied as is the Principal Civil Medical Officer's, even with the assistance of his nine colleagues, efficiently control the working of the Department?
Instead of a glorified Secretary I would introduce, as soon as opportunity offers to do so economically, a working Head of the Department who can devote the whole of his time to the Department.
He should be nominated by the Governor to be Chairman of the Board the constitution of which might otherwise be as suggested by the Commissioners, viz., 4 official members and 6 un-officials including the Principal Civil Medical Officer.
In making this recommendation I do not wish to be understood to cast any reflection whatever on the administration of the Department by the Principal Civil Medical Officer and by Dr. CLARK who acted for him during his absence on leave.
I have shewn that under the present system a vast economy has been effected in the expenditure on measures to combat and prevent Plague, and I am sensible that both officers have worked very hard to increase the efficiency of the Department.
I think, however, that greater efficiency might be obtained by having an officer who can devote the whole of his time to the Departinent, which is now a very large one and the work of which is constantly increasing.