Page
April 28, 1897].
in this colony, we, the undersigned, citizens the United States of America and residents in the colony, would request to be permitted to join and to contribute a share towards the necessary expenditure.
We would wish to do so because as residents we cannot fail to appreciate the blessings of Her Majesty's Government and acknowledge that we and our predecessors have shared in the prosperity which has attended the growth of the colony.
Quite apart from the, desire individually animating us to assist in the proposed demon stration there is another and a broader aspect of the question. We feel that we would be wanting in duty towards our own country if we here failed to show by this, our present action, that we recognize the reverent feeling towards Her Majesty which is held by all our people wherever situated, for by no nation is she more respected than by the United States.
We are, sir, your most obedient servants, (Here, follow the signatures of the Am- erican residents.)
THE CONSTITUTION, OF THE COMMITTEE, .
Mr. FRANCIS proposed that two members of the German community, two of the American, and two of the Portuguese be elected on the Committee.
The CHAIRMAN said gentlemen representing those nationalties had been asked to serve on the Committee, but they said they preferred not to, although they would most heartily join in everything the Committee did on the subject.
THE ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
members of the Committee would give it a good start. The more that was given the more would the Government give.
This concluded the business and the Com- mittee adjourned..........
HONGKONG SANITARY BUARD::
A meeting of the Hongkong Sanitary Board was held at the offices on the 22nd April. Hon. F.A. Cooper (Director of Public Works) presided and there were also present Hon. F. H. May (Captain Superintendent of Police), Dr. Ayres (Colonial Surgeon), Dr. Clarke (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. N. J. Ede, and Mr. H. McCallum (Secretary.)
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
HON. -F. A. COOPER'S PROMOTION.
VALEDICTORY SPEECHES. ..
.
Mr. EDE-Before the ordinary business of the meeting begins I would like, with your permission, to say a few words. I understand this is the last occasion on which we shall have the pleasure and advantage of your presence, The CHAIRMAN next announced that His and I think the Board should not fail to record Excellency the Governor had consented to the its appreciation of the services. you have election of additional members on the Cpm-rendered to this Board. Notwithstanding some mittee.
of the adverse opinions which have from time to time been expressed with regard to the constitution and efficiency of this Board and with its actions, I contend it has done excellent, good, and solid work with very beneficial general results; and I think my colleagues will bear me out when I say that a considerable portion of those good results are due to your energy and assiduity, We regret very much your departure from amongst us and wish you health, wealth, and prosperity in your new appointment. I now wish to move a resolution for the approval of the members of the Board, and I may mention that I have shown the resolution to the Registrar-General, who is a member of this Board, and he asked me to say The CHAIRMAN-One of the schemes sub-that he concurs in it entirely and regrets very mitted to the sub-Committee was in regard to much that he is personally not able to be the gilding of Her Majesty's Statue and the present here to-day to vote for it. The re- patting of a railing round it. In case this Com solution is-"This Board desires to tender to mittee decide that the statue shall be gilded you on your approaching departure from the the Dock Company are prepared to do so with colony, its cordial thanks for the invaluable out any cost. (Loud applause.) I may also services which you have rendered to the Board mention on the authority of the Director during the many years you have been connected of Public Works that some time ago the with it first as its surveyor, then as a member, Government thought of putting a railing round and finally as its President; and to express the statue and plans had been prepared and deep appreciation of the unflagging industry, they were only waiting for a meeting of the devotion to duty, and conspicuous ability which Public Works Committee of the Legislative you have ever displayed in farthering the cause Council to bring the matter up, for final of sanitation in this colony." decision.
It was then resolved that the final draft of the Address to Her Majesty be prepared if no suggestions were sent to the sub-Com- mittee within the next three days.
THE GILDING OF THE QUEEN'S STATUE.
Mr. EDE thought it would be a folly to gild "A statue designed of the Queen's statue. bronze should be left so.
The CHAIRMAN pointed out that Mr. Raggi, the sculptor, was of opinion that gilding the statue would improve it.
Mr. CoxoN hoped that the railings would be placed on the bottom steps and not on the top. If they were placed on the top steps the statue would be like a drinking fountain and people would want tin cans and chains fixed at
once.
Hon. F. A. COOPER said the railings would be placed on the bottom steps.
A.
THANKS TO HIS EXCELLENCY AND THE SUB-COMMITTEE.
Hop, T. H. WHITEHEAD-A very hearty vote of thanks ought to be accorded to his Excellency the Governor for the important services he has rendered in connection with the work we have in hand. But for his Excel- lency's assistance our duties would have been more arduous than they have been. (Applause.) Thanks are also due to the sub-Committee who have rendered such excellent services.
The CHAIRMAN_With regard to the vote of thanks to his Excellency the Governor it need not be seconded at all; it will, I am sure, be carried by acclamation. (Applause.) As far as the sub-Committee are concerned I am sure our work has only just begun and thanks may be given to us when everything is carried out successfully. (Applause).
THE SUBSCRIPTION LIST.
The CHAIRMAN said the subscription list would be started at once and he trusted the
i
its
Hon. F. H. MAY-Mr. President, having been associated with you in a good deal of the work in connection with this Board, I should like to second the resolution. When I was at home the other day I happened to be in the society of a gentleman who was intimately acquainted with a very eminent engineer who not long ago was in this colony The gentleman whom I met did not know you, sir, but he questioned me about you and he said that his friend the engineer had remarked to him. that he was astonished at the magnitude of the public works in this colony and at the business-like and efficient way in which they were carried out. I mention that fact here, sir, because, having myself admired your work in this colony, I was especially pleased to hear this. independent criticism from an outside and thoroughly. com- petent authority. In Hongkong people are somewhat inclined to run down erything that we have here. Our drainage system, according to them, is the worst possible, and our Praya Reclamation is badly and slowly constructed, and so on and so on; but we find, sir, if we enter into conversation with outsiders who visit the colony, especially men who can, by their professional training, form an opinion, that they, at any rate, do not join in the same captions remarks of our fellow co lonista. Sir, you will leave behind you, I think, many standing memorials of your work here in the cause of sanitation and the promotion of public health. We want three things to make a place healthy one is good drains, another is good water, and the third is good ventilation, You have kept all these objects steadily in view, We have as fine a drainage system at least so our Medical Officer of Health tells us as could |
be devised, and I may mention that in England I heard it said by a sanitary engineer believed that Hongkong had shown the the tropics by adopting the separate system of drainage and he expressed the hope that other tropical places would follow her example. It i not often, sir, that Hongkong leads the way, and I feel sure that you will be proud to know that it is the opinion of some that in this In- portant matter of drainage she has shown the way. Your system of drainage, sir, has been criticised, but I must say that, as far as my ex- perience goes, most of the criticism has been of of a very ignorant nature. I have heard men discuss and criticise the drainage system of this colony who, on being questioned, plainly showed they had not the faintest idea of what the expression "separate system drainage" really means. Then, sir, I go on to the second heading-good water. I believe we have the best, and as far as I could ascertain
when I was at home I went into the in which I happened to be I believe it is subject of rates and taxes in various cition the cheapest water supply that any town in the world possesses. You not only carried out the construction and furnishing of water supply in Kowloon and many villages in this colony in a very able manner, but you have put the whole waterworks of the Colony on a most satisfactory financial basis. I wish to goodness that the Hongkong. waterworks were in the hands of a public com. pany and that I had a few thousand shares in it. I would not be long in Hongkong; I would wend my way home to my native country, Ther with regard to air and ventilation. In that respect we have a standing memorial of your work in the Taipingshan resumption area, upon. which you
have devoted much time and which bids fair to become quite a model settlement in this city. It is not only in the city that you have done good work in that direction. Every village almost in Hongkong, and especially the villages in the Kowloon peninsula, bear testi- mony to the good work which you have done in the same direction there. It was only yesterday that I traversed most the Kowloon peninsula and I must say that the way in which the villages there have been tranformed within the last two years from the most evil-smelling rook- eries into well laid out, comfortable, and model villages is something marvellous. I do not think, sir, that I need refer to any of the other important services which you have rendered in the interests of sanitation in this colony. I have only, individually for myself, as a person who has been on this Board for many years and who has done what little he could in the interest of the public health, to express my deep appreciation of the very valuable services which you have rendered to the cause of sanitation in this colony.
Mr. EDE then put the resolution, which was unanimously carried.
The PRESIDENT-Well, gentlemen, I do not wish to take up the time of the Board at any length, but I cannot let this opportunity, pass without thanking you most sincerely for the very kind remarks you have made in connection with my endeavours to promote the welfare of the colony. As a member of this Board, and sub- sequently as President, and also as Director of Public Works, I have to thank the members of the Board for the courteous consideration and assistance which they have at all times given me in attempting to promote the sanitation of this colony. Sanitary improvements are as a rule carried on with considerable opposition. It is not all at once that persons see the ulti- mate gain which they are going to derive from the expenditure incurred.. But I think that in all we have done we have tried to be practical, and unless sanitary authorities are practical in their suggestions it is really of no use attempting to gain the public confidence. The Secretary to the Sanitary Board has kindly-given me a table showing the death rates during the last fifteen years, and I think a study of this is very inte resting, This Board was constituted- under Ordinance 24 of 1887, which came in force in May, 1888, and I find that the average death rate for five years ending 1886 was 29.4 par
The maximum dent thousand per unum. rate for that period was 324 and 4 the minimum 26.1. For the next five the average death rate per thousand per anr