August 5, 1896. |
LIGHT DUES.
A discussion took place on this subject, and a strong opinion was expressed that the shipping should now be freed from the extra duty imposed for the special purpose of erceting Gap Rock Lighthouse and laying the telegraph cable. Resolved to address the Government to this effect.
QUARANTINE AT BINGAPORE.
On the motion of Mr. H. Smith, it was resolved to address the Government with a view. to get representations made to the Authorities at Singapore asking them to abolish or modify the quarantine imposed at that port on all vessels arriving from Hongkong.
THE OPENING OF THE WEST RIVER.
At the suggestion of the Chairman, it was decided to again address the Foreign Office and the British Minister at Peking asking what progress has been made with the negotia- tions on this subject.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. Government of Manila the recent marked abatement of the plague in Hongkong, with a view to the modification or withdrawal of the present stringent regulations.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, (Signed) J. H. STEWART LOCKHART. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce.
NEW POST OFFICE.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
29th June, 1896.
Sir. The attention of this Chamber has been called to the great inconvenience frequently entailed on the mercantile community by the delays experienced in the delivery of the mails; and the need for more rapid sorting and des- patch (especially of the French mails) is felt very generally by the public at large.
My Committee respectfully suggest, for the consideration of His Excellency the Governor, that the most effective remedy for the present THE HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT. inefficiency of the Postal Service would be the Whilst it was agreed that much praise provision of a new Post Office specially built to was due to the Harbour Master for attempt- fulfil its requirements and constructed with a ing to supply statistics of the trade of view to still larger needs in the future. The the port in his report for 1895, the Com-existing building, erected some thirty years ago, mittee agreed that the figures given of has for very many years been totally inadequate certain imports, being only partial, were neces- for the purpose, and should long since have given sarily misleading and it was resolved to draw place to one better adapted for postal purposes. the attention of the Government to this fact and suggest the omission of returns of the kind in future reports.
NEW MEMBRES.
The firm of messrs. Wm. Meyerink & Co. was elected a Member of the Chamber.
MB. MACEWEN AND THE CHAIRMANSHIP. Attention was called to a statement said to have been made to the reporter of the China Mail to the effect that Mr. McEwen stated that he had been offered the Chairmanship of the Chamber.
The general opinion was that this was a mis- take on the part of the reporter since only the members of the Chamber in general meeting could make such appointment, and no such offer had been made by the Committee.
(Correspondence.) QUARANTINE AT MANILA.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
26th June, 1896. Sir,—I am directed by my Committes to beg you to call the attention of His Excellency the Governor to the statement made in one of the local papers to the effect that it is reported the Government of the Philippines have declared as infected the ports of Hongkong, Canton, Amoy, Shanghai, &c., and that vessels arriving therefrom at Manila will be quarantined for fifteen days if there is no disease on board and for twenty days if a case has occurred during the voyage.
Considering that the outbreak of bubonic plague in this colony is markedly on the wane, there having been only 21 cases reported during the past seven days, an average of three per diem, and bearing in mind that the time re- quired for the disease to manifest itself is nine days only, the proposal to lengthen the quaran- tine to fifteen and twenty days respectively is surely unnecessai y.
As the continued enforcement of such extended quarantine against this port by the Philippine anthorities is most detrimental to trade, my Committee respectfully pray that His Excellency will cause the matter to be laid before the Spanish Consul and request him to communicate to the Government at Manila the fact that cases of plague in Hongkong are now
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The Committce understand that it is in ¦ contemplation to provide a new Post Office in the proposed block of Government offices to be erected on the new Praya Reclamation; but no time has been fixed for commencing these buildings-the plans even have not been ap- proved-and it seems probable their erection may be deferred indefinitely. My Committee would therefore respectfully urge that if no decision can at present be come to in reference to the other Departmental buildings, the Government will proceed, with as little delay as possible, to the erection of a new Post Office, if need be as a separate building, so that the colony's correspondence may be promptly dis- tributed soon after arrival and not made de- pendent on the dispatch of the outgoing mails, when the same occurs in close proximity of time. Trusting that this suggestion may receive early and favourable consideration at the hands of His Excellency the Governor.-I have the hor our to be, sir, your most obedient servant, R. CHATTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary.
To Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial
Secretary
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ended 30th June fifteen deaths had occu from cholera in Province Wellesley. For week ended 7th July two deaths were ported.
A CENSUS TO BE TAKEN. The Colonial Secretary wrote in reply to a letter from the Board having reference to a
current census being taken during the c
year. He stated that the matter would not be lost sight of and that a census would be taken when the population had returned to its normal con- dition.
The following minutes were appended :- Mr. N. J. Ede--I think a census should be taken this year.
the
The Medical Officer of Health-At present time the vitality statistics are in a very uusatisfactory condition owing to the inability' to gauge the true population of the colony. A census is undoubtedly required this year.
The Director of Public Works-As far as. the Board is advised it appears there is no reason to believe that the population at the present time is abnormally low and except some unforseen circumstance should occur before the, end of the year, normal or abnormal, it is equally necessary for the Board to know what it is.
Dr. CLARK-I move that in the opinion of this Board it is very desirable that a census should be taken this year.
Mr. EDE seconded. Carried.
MESSES. LEIGH AND ORANGE AND THÉ BOARD.
The Secretary addressed the following to the President:-
Two days ago a gentleman who called at the office remarked that Mesars Leigh and Orange had advertised in the Chinese newspapers that anyone having a grievance against the Banitary Board should consult them and they would take the matter up and fight their case for them. I could not believe that any respectable profes- sional man or firm would do such a thing, but I thought it would be well to search the native press and make quite sure of the point. To my astonishment, I found that the following ad- vertisement appeared in the Chinese Mail of the 23rd June, 1896, vix. :
"FOR THE INFORMATION OF OWNERS OF PEO- PERTY. An important decision was given in the Police Court on Saturday last. Mr. Tsoi Tsan, an owner of property, was charged by the San- | itary Board with having a structure covering the backyard at the back of his house shutting out the sun. The defendant at once engaged Mr. Colonial Secretary's Office, Deacon, the solicitor, and the undersigned We ascertained that 8th July, 1896.
to defend the case. Sir,-In reply to your letter of the 29th the house has been built prior to the ultimo, I am directed to state for the informa-Sanitary Board publishing this law and that tion of the Chamber of Commerce that the 'the sunshade' (?) had existed since the time question of providing a new Post Office, to- | of the erection of the house. All the same, the gether with other Government buildings, is at charge was brought. The Magistrate in giv- present under the consideration of the Secretary ing his decision said:-The Sanitary Board of State, and that the Government is in the had no right to bring the case under this Or- meantime considering the question of arranging dinance and I therefore dismiss the case at for temporary additional accommodation for the once.' We are aware that owners of houses in Postal department. I have the honour to be, Hongkong have been charged with breaking the law on account of similar structures. Some sir, your most obedient servant,
have been fined and at the same time have been required to remove the structures cover- ing their backyards. In all parts of the town there have been many such cases. We have spoken with many owners of property and ad- vised them not to comply with the order of the The usual fortnightly meeting of the Sani-Sanitary Board to pull down their sunshades, tary Board was held on the 30th July the Hon. F. but to engage the services of some well-known A. Cooper (Director of Public Works) presiding. solicitor to defend their case. This is the first There were also present Dr. P. D. J. Ayres case and we have been
(Signed) J. H. STEWART LockHAET.
Colonial Secretary. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
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their thanks to
rapidly declining. The time has come therefore (Colonial Surgeon), Dr. F. H. Clark (Medical house owners should expressful in it. All rather for a relaxation of the precautions taken Officer of Health), Mr. H. B. Lethbridge / Mr. Tsan for having, by his defence, made the against the disease than for the enforcement of more stringent regulations.—I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary. To Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial
Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, 1st July, 1896. Sir.-I am directed to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo on the subject of Quarantine Regulations at Manila, and to inform you in reply that a copy of your letter has been sent to the Consul for Spain, who has been requested to represent to the
(Acting Captain Superintendent of Police), Mr. N. J. Ede, and Mr. Hugh McCallum (Secretary.)
MINUTES.
law on the point clear and for having shown that the action of the Sanitary Board in this case has been opposed to law. In cases in which he is required by an order from the Sanitary The minutes of the last meeting were read Board to pull down the sunshade over his back
yard he will do no harm by consulting an and confirmed.
perienced architect and if any one has comp with the order and pulled down the struct there is no objection to its being put up aga
“LEIGH AND ORA
PLAGUE AT SWATOW,
A communication was received from the Con. sul at Swatow with reference to the presence of bubonic plague there. No case had been reported for seven days and the medical officer is satisfied that the diease does not exist anywhere in the district in epidemic form.
CHOLERA IN THE STRAITS.
The Colonial Secretary at Singapore wrote informing the Board that during the week
The above advertisement is not exactly it was represented to me to be, but by inf it is practically what it was repres and I feel sure that the great readers of the Chinese Mail woul it. I think the matter is of sufficient i
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