March 26, 1898.J
2. The provision of a boat in which civilians suffering from infectious disease in the Kow- loon Peninsula may be removed to the Hospital for infectious disease. This appears to me to 1 be both reasonable and necessary, but there is no provision in the current year's estimates for it. Special authority can always he given." Mr. N. J. EDE—“I am in favour of recom. mending the Government to let the Sanitary Board get a boat. I think the military authorities should look after their own cases and provide hospital accommodation for infectious diseases." The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Unless cases are very frequent, I should think it better to hire a sampan when required and disinfect
after use."
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE "I am in favour of getting a boat for the pur- pose."
13
The CHAIRMAN-Unfortunately the military have no accommodation at present for cases of infectious diseases. They all have to be treated by the civil authorities.
Mr. EDE--All over the colony? The CHAIRMAN-Yes. Any case of smallpox or plague which occurs is sent to the hospital. I move that the Board purchase a boat for the
purpose.
Mr. EDE, in seconding, said he supposed that would be the cheapest in the end.
The motion was carried. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND PRIVATE
DRAINAGE WORKS.
The directors of the Tung Wa Hospital having been ordered by the Board to carry out some drainage works at their property at No. 12, Po Yan Street. Mr. Fung Wa Chuen, on behalf of the directors, replied that they wished the work carried out by the Public Works Department.
The application having been sent to the Director of Public Works, he replied-Weare too busy to undertake this work. I am not. more. over, in favour of Government interfering with private enterprise in this direction. It will be better for the Tang Wa Hospital authorities to put the matter in the hands of a private
architect or builder."
[
Some difference of opinion was manifes ed in the minutes of the members respecting a Government Notification No. 378, which reads:
KA
It is hereby notified that arrangements have been made for the carrying out of sewer- age and drainage works on private premises by the Public Works Department. Owners of property and others desirous of such works being carried out by the above department should apply to the Director of Public Works." The PRESIDENT and DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS were of opinion that the Tang Wa Hos. pital could not be classed as private premises, and
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
231
| allay public alarm, I now inform you that there is only one European lady at the Kennedytown Hospital suffering from plague, and she is pro-
not for this Board to say how it is to be done. That is the duty of another authority.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr. EDE, it was decided that the matter begressing favourably. considered confidentially.
MORTALITY RETURNS,
The mortality returns for the week ended 12th March shows the death rate to be 20.5 per 1,000 per aunum, as compared with 18.3 in the corresponding period last year. For the week ended 19th March the death rate was 23.6, #8 compared with 15.8 in the corresponding week last year.
THE MANUFACTURE AND BALE OF POISONS.
•
The CHAIRMAN submitted draft by-laws to be made under sub-section 22 of section 13 of Ordinance 24 of 1887 for regulating" the manu- facture and sale of poisons and the sale of unsound and adulterated drugs." He remarked that he must apologiss for not having circulated these by-laws, but his excuse was excess of work. As it was more or less а question of urgency he would read the
and proposed by-laws,
they The Chairman would see the drift of them. read the proposed by-laws, and added that his object in bringing them up was that recent occurrences had forced the necessity of some such by-laws on the colony. He found that there was only one Ordinance for dealing with the sale of poisons, and that was Ordinance 24 of 1887, subsection 22 of section 13. The Board had power to make by-laws with reference to the sale of poisons and the manufacture and sale of unsound and adulterated drugs. Of the total deaths from violence occurring yearly
in England about one and a quarter per cent. statistics.and he found that in the Bombay Pre- were due to poisoning. He had referred to sidency the deaths from poisons averaged one from violence each year. and three-quarters per cent. of the total deaths
The returns for Ben-
gal for three years showed that out of 1,140 deaths 380 were due to poisons. Dr. Clark had| kindly ascertained for him the number of deaths daring the past two years. In 1896 five deaths from poisoning in the colony of Hongkong
were due to poisoning and 171 to accidents. That was roughly a percentage of three as against a percentage of 12 in England. In 1897 five deaths were due to poisoning and 159 to violence, which was between three and four conclusively that there ought to be some regula- per cent. He thought these figures would show
poisons. The three poisons in most general use tion in the colony for dealing with the sale of in Hongkong were opium, datura, and arsenic. The Chairman added that he had drawn the proposed by-laws up with the assistance of Mr. Browne, who had given a great deal of time to the subject. He thought this was a matter of fication must be withdrawn. It is quite impossible public importance. It was a matter which had for the P.W.D. to continue to do all the plumb than once, and the present was a very appro- been brought before the Government more ing works of a city of nearly 200,000 inhabi-priate time to urge upon the Government the The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE necessity of dealing with the question. He did not think the notification could be cancelled. begged to lay the by-laws on the table. He should like to know what number of applica- tions per month the P.W.D. have had on the average for work on private premises since the notification was issued.
the Director of Public Works wrote "The noti-
tants."
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS inquired if he was in order in asking whether this matter should be laid before the Board. An application which should have come to him was sent to the Secretary of the Board and some correspondence ensued, and as it started by a mistake he thought it was scarcely whether the P.WD. should undertake private necessary that it should go on. The question drainage works was a question for the Govern- ment and himself. It was a question of public
works.
The CHAIRMAN-It appears to be a matter purely for the Public Works Department, and I regret very much that it has been introduced into the agenda.
▾
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-Whe ther the work is to be done or not rests between
me and the Government and not between me
and the Board. If it is discussed here I stand
here as a defendant on trial.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-The Board require the work to be done; it does not matter who does it.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-The Board require the work to be done, but it is
Mr. EDE said one would like to see the pro- posed by-laws in black and white. One could hardly think them out after having merely
heard them read.
Board a sub-committee can be appointed to The CHAIRMAN-If it is the wish of the consider them and report to the next meeting, and in the meantime there proposed by-laws may be circulated.
The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE said that four years ago he recommended the placing of some restrictions on the sale of deaths through the administering of poisons poisons. He pointed out the large number of and the large number of suicides by poisoning, but as yet nothing had been done in the matter. It appeared to him that if they were to com- municate with the Government in the matter
and say that they intended to make by-laws and ask for the assistance of the Attorney-General
it would be well. It seemed to him that there
regard to opium for instance. would be some difficulty in the way-with
previous speaker, and it was decided to act upon Mr. EDE approved of the suggestion of the it, the proposed by-laws to be circulated in the
meantime.
EUROPEANS AND THE PLAGUE,
The PRESIDENT-Taking into consideration the number of false rumours abroad and to
ADJOURNMENT.
The Board then adjourned until Thursday week.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
At the monthly Meeting of the General Committee of the Hongkong General Chamber of the Commerce, held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the 16th March. Present: Messrs. R. M. Gray (Chairman), Herbert Smith (Vice-Chairman), G. B. Dodwell, N. J. Ede, A. Haupt, J. J. Bell-Irving, T. Jackson, N. A. Siebs, T. H Whitehead, and R. C. Wilcox (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting (held 9th February) were read and confirmed..
STRAITS CURRENCY.
Read letter from Singapore Chamber, dated 7th February, forwarding copies of the Sub. Committee's Report on the currency of 6th November, 1897, with criticisms thereon, and report of proceedings at General Meeting of 15th January.
STORM WARNINGS.
Read letter from the Government stating · that, in accordance with the Chamber's recom mendation, the system of Meteorological signals obtaining from January, 1884, to December, 1896, was revived on the 29th January, 1897, and will continue in force until further notice.
THE PINNACLE ROCK FUND,
Chamber's letter on this subject from the Act- Another acknowledgement of receipt of the ing Commissioner of Customs, Pakhoi, was read, in which he stated that the previous letter of the 25th November had not reached him. A
copy of the latter had since been forwarded. EXTENSION OF HAMBURG-AMERICAN
TO FAR EAST.
LINE
of the Government) from the British Ambassa- Read copy of despatch (forwarded by courtesy
dar at Berlin to the Foreign Office announcing that the above Line have resolved, to establish a regular monthly service of steamers between Hamburg and ports of Eastern Asia, said service to commence on the 25th Jan. by the despatch of the str. Andalusia,
ADULTERATION OF ANISEED OIL. Imperial Maritime Customs, Kowloon, forward- Read letter from Mr. Hillier, Commissioner ing enclosure from Mr. Morse, Commissioner of Customs, Lungehow, on the practice by dealers up country of adulterating aniseed oil, in which he suggests the co-operation of Hong- kong importers to check fraud in this trade and prevent its loss or diversion.
interested in the trade to report on the best Resolved to refer the question to the firms
means of prevention.
DELIVERIES OF LETTERS BY
FRENCH MAILS,
which he asks whether the convenience of firms Read letter from Postmaster-General, in would be better consulted if the letters only, in the case of the French mails, were first delivered and other matter dealt with subse- quently.
Decided to send an answer in the affirmative.
QUARANTINE AGAINST HONGKONG, Government in declaring Hongkong an infected Consequent on the action of the Straits
port and imposing nine days' quarantine,
Chinese passengers the following telegram was, counting from date of departing, on vessels arriving in Singapore from this port with on the 12th inst., despatched to the Singapore
Chamber of Commerce :-
"Chairman, Chamber of Commerce, Singa
pore Hongkong Chamber strongly protest against quarantine Hongkong Plague merely sporadic, cases decreasing Request your Chamber urge Government rescind.- CHAIRMAN."
On the evening of the 14th inst. the subjoined wire was received in reply
Ct
Chairman, Chamber of Commerce, Hong- kong-Singapore Chamber regrets cannot take responsibility interfere in so grave matter as port health precautions which Government affirms fully justified CHAIRMAN."