May 20, 1897.]
that
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. think that in sending back the by-laws we should express our regret that by-law No. 5 has not been passed and say we hope that no delay will occur in giving it the force of the law.
391-
fered with if an Inspector entered premises on being given permission.
The CAPTAIN SuperintendENT OF POLICE seconded the resolution of Dr. Clark and it was unanimously carried.
The second amendment in this by-law was also agreed to, as was also the amendment in No. 14 of the amended by-laws.
i
dinance to consolidate and amend the laws relating to the protection of women and girls. If hon members will refer to the table of Ordinances in the second schedule they will observe that there are no less than six Ördin- ances repealed by this Ordinance. It is The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-And certainly very undesirable when one bas we might also point out the urgent importance to refer to the law on a given subject of it with respect to the sanitary condition of
The amendment in by-law 25 of the amended should be one
obliged to refer the colony and hope there will be no delay in to a great many different Ordinances to the consideration of the by-law. The point is by-laws was then considered. The amendment ascertain what the law is. Unfortunately in to get something like that passed without delay, gave power to only the Medical Officer of Mr. EDE said he did not know what the official Health or to such officer as may be appointed the progress of time Ordinances require amend- ment, so it is impossible sometimes to get the objection to by-law No. 5 was, but it was only right by the Board with the approval of the Governor to take steps to have. faraiture and goods re- whole law on a subject in one Ordinance. 1t that the Board should have the power to pre- was thought that the time had come when the veut the obstruction of the ventilation of build-moved from insanitary dwellings.
Mr. EDE-When these by-laws came before Ordinances on this subject should be consoli-ings by projections extending ont a considerable
us first I had objections to this sort of power dated and put into one with a few amend width, as otherwise sun blinds would be pat ap ments and some additional sections taken so as to meet in the middle of the street and being conferred upon subordinate officers. from the Imperial Criminal Law Amend then there would be no light at áll. ment Act, 1885. I may say that unofficially I sent a draft of this Ordinance to the Chief Justice and he, with the kindness he always shows, looked through it and made various suggestions to me. I have adopted those sug- gestion and I think they make the Ordinance better than it was before.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. Bill read the second time.
Council went into Committee on the Bill. Council resumed.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he did not propose to ask for the third reading until the next meeting of Council, and it was possible he might wish to make one slight amendment which he had mentioned in the. Committee stage, in which case the Bill might be recom- mitted. He would consider the matter before next meeting.
The Board then proceeded to consider a small amendment made in by-law 10 of the amended by-laws.
The amendment was approved.
In regard to this by-law the Government wished the Board to state what was, in its opinion, "reasonable notice" to be given to oc- cupiers or owners of domestic buildings before such buildings could be entered and inspected by the Inspectors of Nuisances.
The PRESIDENT said this subject was dis- cussed once before and three hours was con- sidered a reasonable notice.
Mr. EDE understood that the Medical Officer of Health was going to arrange for an Inspector of Nuisances to go to a man's premises and tell him he was going to make an inspection. If the man did not object the inspection would be made at once, but if there was an objection the Inspector would have to give reasonable notice. The Council adjourned until next Monday the resolution he would propose was as follows: The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said
week.
ADJOURNMENT.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held. Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart (Colonial Secretary) presided, and all the mem- bers were present.
VOTES RECOMMENDED.
The following votes were recommended :- A sum of $187 in aid of the vote "Repairs to Health Officer's launch."
A sum of $150 in aid of the vote "Post mortem examinations and medical attendance at in- quests."
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLION In the Legislative Council the other day no notice whatever was taken of the words "speci ally authorized in writing by the said Board.” The Council took it to mean that any officer could go and do all these things. That is not BO. It is only "any officer of the Board speci- ally authorised in writing," and it was dis tinetly understood that the Board would exer- cise considerable discrimination in selecting its officers. Of course the difficulty is to get the If we had as much plague as we had last year you would require two men, besides Dr. Clark, in the city here, one man for the villages of Aberdeen, Shaukiwan, &c., and another man for the Kowloon peninsula-four men in addi- tion to Dr. Clark,
men.
Mr. ED-The amendment is only a verbal alteration, in my opinion. All we have got to do is to get the approval of the Governor when we appoint officers to have power to remove cocklofts, and the whole thing will be done. They do not want the Board to make the appointments without the approval of the Governor.
The ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS -It is a sort of additional assurance to the public generally. The Governor-
That the Colonial Secretary be informed that the Sanitary Board is of opinion that in any case in which the occupiers or owners of 5 building or curtilage offered any objection whatever to the entry for the purpose of ascer-
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE taining the sanitary condition thereof a notice of not less than two hours should be given-Yes, I am not talking of the Governor. That to the said oc upiers or owners." Already under would be all right. The Governor, I am sure, the Medical Officer of Health Ordinance, 9 of would sanction any properly qualified man that 1805, section 2, the Medical Officer of Health the Board had confidence in and recommended,
one to enter premises between 6 a.m. and but, as far as can gather from the power 6 p.m. and make an inspection, and provided the newspaper report of what occurred in the the members would occupants offered any reasonable objection there- Legislative Council, to the Medical Officer of Health had to give not be satisfied with any subordinate officer that the Board put forward. For instance, they objected to the Chief Inspector of Nuisances. If you search the whole of Hong- kong throughout its length and breadth you probably would not find a better or more trust- worthy officer than the Chief Inspector of Nai-
had
A sum of $1,550 in aid of the vote for Post two hours' notice to the occupiers. Office "Incidental Expenses."
ADJOURNMENT.
The Committee then adjourned.
THE NEW SANITARY BY-LAWS.
MEETING OF THE SANITARY BOARD.
On the 13th inst. a special meeting of the Hongkong Sanitary Board was held at the offices to consider the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the by-laws made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894. Dr. J. M. Atkinson (Acting Colonial Surgeon) presided and there were also present-Hon. F. H. May (Captain Superintendent of Police), Hou, W. Chatham (Acting Director of Public Works), Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. N. J: Ede, and Mr. H. McCallum (Sécrtary)
:
The SECRETARY read a letter from the Colonial Secretary forwarding the amended by-laws for the consideration of the Board:
The first by-law mentioned was No. 5, which was struck out and referred to the Insanitary Properties Commission.
Mr. EDE-By-law 5 has passed out of our hands and we have nothing to say about it. It has not been passed, but referred to somebody else.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE -We gave very earnest consideration to this by-law, and it is one which was considered by the experts on this Board-by experts I mean our late President, Mr. Cooper, and the Medical Officer of Health, who are supposed to know more about the subject than anybody else and the Board, on their recommendation and by their advice, passed the by-law. There fore, I think that the Council having dealt with the by-laws and they having been referred to as by His Excellency the Governor, we have nothing further to say about by-law No. 5. I
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE thought two hours' notice was quite enough.
Mr. EDE said he agreed, but he should like the amended by-law so worded that an officer of the Board could go in at once if the occupants gave him permission.
:
way,
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said the by-law could not be altered in that as section 13 of Ord:uance 15 of 1894, under which the by-laws were made, distinctly said that the officers shall enter upon giving reasonable no- tice. The Board could not add with the per- mission of the occupier.' But if the occupier said" Come in "it was only reasonable that the Inspector would go in. The by-law would not preclude the immediate entry of the Inspector with permission.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE suggested that the Board should write to the Colonial Secretary in the terms of the resolu- tion proposed by the Medical Officer of Health. A man ought to be able to go into remisos on getting permission.“
Mr. DE thought that if in an action an Inspector stated that he entered on getting permission he would lose his case, as there was nothing in the by-law which allowed him to do
that.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE contended that there was nothing to prevent a man giving permission to an Inspector to enter his house if he liked.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said the Board was simply asked for an expression of opinion on the point.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE said the work would be quadrupled if the Inspector always had to give two hours' notice. Mr. EDE agreed. It was exactly that difficulty which he wished to prevent. He wanted to be quite sure that the Board would not be inter-
·
sances.
He is a man who speaks Chinese very well; he has had twenty years' experience, and he is universally respected and liked by the Chi- nese community. If you are going to eliminate a man simply because he is a subordinate officer - of the Board I do not see how you are going to get satisfactory men to do the work.
Mr. EDE--All we should have to do would be to appoint that man and get the approval of the Governor. I think we had better pass the amendment.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE -I have no objection to the amendment as it stands, but I think we had better select some officers now, as the plague may occur now, or to-morrow, or any day, and we can send their names to the Governor, so that we can have ¿ everything cut and dried.
Mr. EDE-Let us have the by-law passed and then we can select the officers.
enter
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH said it was unnecessary to have in the by-law "any officer specially authorised by the said Board.” That special authority was at the present time in the possession of the Inspectors of Nuis-
and they had power
to ances, premises whether there was plague or not. A man can do certain work when there is no epidemio aud, according to this by-law, he had to get special authority when there was an epidemic. He would be simply doing his ordi- nary duty. The point had been overlooked.
The CAPTAIN UPERINTENDENT OF POLICY thought it would be better to retain the words.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH—It would only be a waste of time.
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བཟ་སྡ