time to consider the project. In the interval, I attended a private meeting of the Unofficial Members at the invitation of the Honourable C. P. Chater and further explained the report and project.
8-On the 6th of June, 1895, the project was adopted by Council, and the approval of the Secretary of State was communicated by tele. graph on the 11th June and confirmed by C.O.D. 187/1895, received on the 7th September. 9 The first step to be taken was the clear- ing out of the woodwork and demolition of some of the buildings, in order to admit of the per- manent works being commenced.
10. Operations were commenced in June. and the removal of buildings in Taipingshan, Market, Upper Station, Square, and Bridges Streets, and Tank Lane, was effected during the months of August, September, and October. 11-An attempt was made to obtain satisfac- tory offers for the building material in July, 1895 C.S.O. 1781/1895, but was unsuccessful. If
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
of the lower portion of Pound Lane and Tai- This work involved the pingshan Street. erection of heavy retaining walls along the frontages of the above streets.
18. The completion of these contracts has been delayed owing to some extent to the rain fall experienced in the month of February and the stopping of the further demolition of buildings and removal of the material, C.S.O. 894/1896. They are, however, now making sa tisfactory progress and will shortly be com- pleted.
December
1896
drain
during
lor
repairs, of 2,872 during the year age of 503 houses had been com the quarter and the plan of one house can making a total of 1,750 houses cancelled during the year, and leaving, 1,122 to carry forward Notices had been received ing the quarter for repairs, to the arrangements of 140 houses and repai completed in 26 instances, making at year of 246 houses in hand for repairs, have been completed. Certificates had issued during the quarter for 59 houses as 19. A contract No. 18/1896 has been entered having been built in accordance with the pro- into, C.S.O. 1570/1896 and confidential C.S.O.visions of section 74 of Ordinance 24 of 1887- 56/1896, for the construction of the permanent This makes a total of 259 houses built in works involved in laving out of about one-half accordance with the Public Health Ordinance the area, viz., Blocks d., D., and E.; the time for during the current year. the completion of this work under the contract expires in May next.
been
The PRESIDENT-I propose that the report be forwarded to the Colonial Secretary and that it be pointed out that this Board has received no definite reply to their request for an increase of staff in the Surveyor's department: ~ Ans of this Board, whose services only partly dispose of it.
The COLONIAL SURGEON seconded Carried.
O as subsequently decided to self the material by Market Street, Po Yan Street, Station enormous amount of work devolves on the oficer
public auction, the first salo took place on the 25th July, 1895.
12. Subsequently, various sales at public auction took place till the 3rd March last, when I received instructions to cancel the sale ad-
vertised to take place on the 6th of that month C.8.0.447/1896.
20-A further contract No. 19/1896 has been advertised for the construction of the permanent works involved in laying out the area bounded Street, and Pound Lane, viz.. Blocks F. and K., C.S.O. 1790/1896, and the time for the comple. tion of this work will expire about December
next.
work can be commenced.
21. The necessary plans, specification, aud details for the laying out of the remaining 13. On the 8th of April I addressed the portion of the area are in hand, but owing to the Government, pointing out that the delay in number of buildings and the quantity of material that still exist on the site, some pro getting the area rid of dangerous buildingsgress will have to be made with the works in- was seriously interfering with the progress cluded in the foregoing contracts before of the permanent works and I received anthority to pull down, certain buildings, barn the woodwork, and stack the bricks and stone, His Excellency the Governor stat- ing that he supposed, the bricks could be used by the Public Works Department. C.S.O. 894/1896. Since this date the material has as far as possible been used in the building of retaining walls, &c., and arrangements are being made in Government contracts for the
continuance of this course.
14-On the 12th of March, at a meeting of the Sanitary Board, the following resolution was passed:
Resumed Area-A letter—which had been circulated to Members-having reference to the removal of building materials from the area in Taipingshan recently resumed by the Govern- ment, was laid on the table and the minutes on the circulating cover read."
A discussion ensued." "The President moved- 1. That the Board is in possession of no evidence to warrant a belief that the material remaining in the resumed area of Taipingskan is infected with the Bubonic Plague bacillus. On the contrary, in the opinion of Board the statistics in its posses- sion prove conclusively that the steps taken to eradicate the bacillus from infected premises in 1894 have been attended with most satisfactory results." "2.-The Board, however, in view of the popular feeling on the subject, recommend that if further material is sold steps should be taken to burn as far as practicable all wood still remaining in the buildings." "The Vice-President seconded." "Question-put and agreed to." "The Honourable the Acting Captain Super- intendant of Police and Mr. Ede did not vote." COMMENCEMENT OF PERMANENT WORKS.
15. On the 20th September. 1895, a contract No. 35/1895, C.S.O. 2582/1895, was entered into with Mr. Kang On for the construction of a storm-water drain from Hollywood Road to Caine Lane.
16. The existing storm-water drain running diagonally across nearly the whole of the re- sumed area prevented, owing to its level, other portions of the improvement works to any great extent being proceeded with, as the distur- bance of this drain pending adequate provision for the discharge of the storm-water from the hillside above the area, which was conducted. by it through this portion of the city, would, during the heavy rainfalls so frequently ex- perienced Lere, have probably involved much damage to end loss of property.
17 On the 9th of October, a contract No. 38/1895, C.S.O. 2776/1895, was entered into with Mr. Clan A Tong for the construction
22. The sum of $3,170 has been realised for the sale of certain building material.
23.-Inland Lots 361 and 1,356 have been restored to the original owners in lieu of the payment of compensation, C.S.0.'s 755/1895 and 1296/1895; and Inland Lot No. 1,356 has been sold for the sum of $1,585.50, annual Crown rent $32, C.S.O. 1939/1895 and C.O.D. 211/1895.-I have the honour to be, sir, your
most obedient servant,
FRANCIS A. COOPER. Director of Public Works. The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
The fortnightly meating of the Sanitary Board was held at the offices on Thursday. Hon. F. A. Cooper (Director of Public Works) presiding. There were also present-Hon. F. H. May (Captain Superintendent of Police), Dr. Ayres (Colonial Surgeon), Dr. Clark (Me- dical Officer of Health), Mr. N. J. Ede, and Mr. H. McCallum (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
NEW BY-LAWS.
MORTALITY,
The mortality, statistics showed a death of 22.2 per thousand per annum for the week responding week last year. ended 21st Nov., as against 35:7 for the
*
cor
ADJOURNMENT, The Board adjourned till Thursday, the 17th inst.
THE CHARGE AGAINST M'KINLEY.
STATEMENT BY THE ACCUSED.#LİY At the Police Court on the 4th December before Hon. Commander W. C. H. Hastings, Charles McKinley was brought up on remand charged with the forgery of a letter
Mr. J. Hastings appeared for the prosecu tion and Mr. E. Robinson (instructed by Mr Mounsey) defended.
His Worship (to Mr. Robinson)--I under stand you have your witness here Pedi
Mr. Robinson-No. I do not know what your Worship thinks, but Mr. Hankinson, who is an employe in Messrs. Watson & Co, and the witness whom we wanted, has been travelling in Japan and he came to Hongkong-this week, but passed on to Manila without the solicitor for the defence becoming aware of it. I am instructed he left Hongkong yesterday
His Worship-On the last occasion it was? understood that the case would be finished in time for the December Criminal Session. “RENT
Mr. Robinson-Oh, certainly. I now ask for two or three days' remand in order to have an opportunity of seeing Mr. McKinley the defendant, because of course we have been awaiting the arrival of this witness and nothing further has passed in the way of instructions. The remand will give plenty of time for the ap-committal.
By-laws for the regulation of bakehouses, for providing for the sanitary maintenance of opium divans, and by-laws to be made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894 were considered and proved with a few slight amendments.
THE PLAGUE IN FORMOSA,
The Consul at Tamsui forwarded statistics of the cases of bubonic plague which have oc- curred in, that district between the 7th and 14th November. The number of fresh cases was 84 and 36 deaths, including one case at Tamsui on the 9th and one at Kelung on the 11th.
CHOLERA AT SINGAPORE,
The Colonial Secretary at Singapore sub- mitted a return showing that cholera was declining greatly at that port. Between the 10th and 17th November only four cases had occurred.
HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS.
An application was made by Messrs Leigh and Orange for permission to erect offices for Hon. C. P. Chater, on the Praya Central, of & greater height than 76 feet. The application was granted.
Mr. Hastings-I must object to any further The remand was remand, your Worship. originally obtained on the ground that there was a witness in Japan. The witness's name was not given and no statement was made by the learned counsel as to what the witness was going to depose to. We have it now that the witness has actually been in this colony and has been allowed to go away without the defence taking any steps to get his evidence taken. There is no reason for the delay and this is only an excuse for an adjournment. If an adjourn- ment is asked for, the name of the witness and the point to which he would depose should be stated in an affidavit. I ask your Worship not to allow any further adjournment except filing of an affidavit giving the witness
His Worship (to Mr. Robinson)—Do yet know what the defence is ? ditu
Mr. Robinson- - On the contrary, fectly well aware of the line of the your Worship chooses to commi it will be open for me to make an at the Sessions should it be necessar see myself the purport because where is the on Wednesday
SURVEYOR'S QUARTERLY REPORT. Mr. J. R. Crook, Sanitary Surveyor, in his third quarterly report for 1896, stated that during the quarter plans had been deposited for the redrainage of 509 houses. Plans for 914 houses were deposited during the first two quarters and 1,449 houses were carried forward the difference from 1895, making a total, exclusive of minor | Criminal Sessions ↑