September 17, 1898.).
was
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REPORT
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
to
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easily as it is fed to the furnaces of a ship's boilers. We make the Sanitary Board a present of the idea.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
On 12th September a meeting of the Hong- kong Legislative Council was held in the Council being present :- Chamber at the Government Offices, there
His EXCELLENCY the ACTING GOVERNOR
(Major-General BLACK, C.B., Officer Command- ing the Troops).
Hon. T. SERCOMBE SMITH (Acting Colonial Secretary).
Hon. W. M. GOODMAN (Attorney-General). Hon. R. MURRAY RUMSEY (Harbour Máster). intendent of Police).
Hon. F. H. MAY. C.M.G. (Captain Super-
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Acting Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works).
Hon. C. P. Chater, C.M.G, Hon. Dr. HO KAI
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD. Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G. Hon. J. J. BELL IRVING. Hon. WEI A YUK.
"and Russia might unite to divide the Bri- | This is proved by the experience of London, | air furnace for the cremation of cattle 18 "tish Empire. France, perhaps would seize and, coming nearer home, Shanghai. One Egypt, Germany the Cape, and Russia of the best means of bringing the system "India."
Even if this pretty little scheme into more general use, however, will be to were practicable it is still a question place the means of cremation within easy whether the gain of the British South reach of those who desire to avail of them. African possessions would compensate Ger! It is a case in which the supply should many for the loss of trade she would precede the demand. But the Hongkong suffer from the closing to her of other Government will presumably have markets by France and Russia. Moreover, be convinced that cremation is desirable, the action of the United States is left out of and that the demand should be encouraged, all calculation in the MOMMSEN prediction. before it will be found ready to proceed Apart from the strong racial and daughterly with the construction of a crematorium; and feeling entertained by the Great Republic, in that matter it would probably prefer to which has lately found such lively expres follow the example of the home Govern- sion, it is not to be supposed that our ment, which, though it permits cremation, American kinsmen could regard with takes no active steps to encourage it. In equanimity the destruction of their best Hongkong if any one desires to niarkets. Dr. MOMMBEN talking cremated there would be little difficul- through his hat. Perhaps even he, had hefty in arranging for it according to the been asked the same question three weeks system followed by the Hindoos, which later, after the CZAR's recent declaration in is effective and quite unobjectionable, favour of a general reduction of armaments, except that it takes some time and is con- and the passionate outery from France, ducted in the open air, whereas Europeans · which shows how closely she still clings to would probably desire that the operation the determination to recover the lost should take place speedily and in a building provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, would of an ecclesiastical style of architecture for have had a somewhat different reply to even cremationists may probably lay claim make. If Englishmen thought that Dr. to some little amount of sentiment. MOMMSEN really represented German The discussion at the Sanitary Board opinion they would a thousand times arose, however, out of a suggestion that prefer to remain isolated, and rely in cremation should be used as a means of dis- time of trouble on the good will of their posing of the carcases of diseased cattle, nearer kindred to see fair play, just as and the Hon. F. H. MAY pointed out in the the United States instinctively found it course of the discussion that they could not from the action of Great Britain, when the decently use the same crematorium for hu- Mother Country refused to allow her daugh-man beings that they used for cattle. It ter to be coerced by a European concert | would certainly bea shock to one's feelings to during her conflict with Spain. There was ro see a sign hung out reading “Cremation for Anglo-American alliance, it is
man and beast." The Board therefore there is no formal pact now--but it was decided to recommend the Government to well understood that had any attempt erect a small crematorium for the purpose been made to nssist Spain, then the of burning the bodies of cattle dead of in- British Navy would have given id fectious disease and also on a separate site to the United States. Similarly, if Great a small public crematorium for the use of Britain were to be hard pressed by any such sections of the public as may desire to combination of European Powers, we are avail themselves of it. With reference to confident that American sympathy would cattle we should be inclined to think the speedily ripen into active intervention. | Board have made a mistake and that what But we do not believe that Dr. MOMMSEN is required is not a crematorium in a per- represents any large section of his country-manent building, but a moveable arrange- men, though it seems rather unfortunate that he should have made what even his friends will now probably characterise as an unfortunate delivery at such a juncture;
true
CREMATION FOR MAN AND BEAST.
44
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(Daily Press, 15th September.) During his approaching visit to Shanghai with the cricket team Dr. Lowson will no doubt find time to examine the crematorium at that port and ascertain how many times it has been made use of since its erection a year or two ago, At the last meeting of the Sanitary Board, it will be remembered, the doctor said "a large number of Euro- peans here, he was convinced, would like to be cremated, but they could not do it, as they had not the accommodation." It was supposed that the same desire existed at Shanghai, and the Municipality was induced to erect a crematorium, but as yet it has been very sparingly used. A great many persons, probably a majority of educated men, now approve in the abstract of cremation, but comparatively few feel so strongly on the subject as to leave written instructions that their own remains shall be disposed of by that means, and in a matter in which senti- ment plays so large à part relations are naturally reluctant to break with the ancient ways unless in compliance with a special request on the part of the deceased. The result is that even where facilities for cremation exist they are seldom availed of
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Mr. J. G. T. BUCKLE (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted as a correct record.
PAPERS.
F
the table the report of the Director of Public The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on
Works for the half-year ended June 30th, 1898, and financial minutes Nos. 14 and 15, and moved that the latter be referred to the Finance Com- mittee.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was carried.
FINANCE REPORT.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table finance report No. 5 and proposed its adoption.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER seconded
and the motion was carried.
BYE-LAWS FOR THE REGULATION OF
LAUNDRIES.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY said— I have the honour to move the following resolu- tion which stands in my name :-" That this Council approves of the repeal by the Sanitary approved by this Council on the 16th day of Board of the present bye-laws as to laundries
August, 1895, and the substitution therefor of the bye-laws made by the Sanitary Board on the 25th day of August, 1898." Honourable members who have looked at these bye-laws have been reduced to fire. The new bye-law will find that there were six old bye-laws which
No. 4 takes the place of bye-laws 4 and 5 in the
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL secouded and the motion was carried.
REGULATING THE SALE OF POISONS, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I have the honour
meat that could be carried to the place where the carcase lay instead of the carcase having to be carried to the crematorium. A crematorium at Kennedytown would be very inconveniently situated for the disposal of carcases of cattle dying at Wongneichong, and should Wongneichlong be selected as the site it would be found equally incon-old ones. venient in the case of cattle dying at Pokfulam, The carcase of a cow is not an easy object to remove and when it is dia- eased it is objectionable to have to carry it through the streets. It is therefore desirable to move that the Council approve of the bye- that the cremation should take place if laws made by the Sanitary Board for regulating possible at or near the same place as the the sale of poisons in the colony of Hongkong, death. The Board tried to burn the carcase
The sale of poisons in England has for a long of a cow once, but it cost them no less than
time been so regulated. A considerable amount of time and attention have been bestowed upon $153, and so they sent: Japan for par- these bye-laws. They have been very carefully ticulars of the crematoriums there. From considered by the Sanitary Board before being the particulars supplied it appears that brought before the Council. I have the honour cremations in a properly constructed crenia-
to propose that the Council approve of these torius: in constant use can be conducted bye-laws under Section 15 of The Public Health very cheaply, but the cost would naturally published in the Government Gazette in English Ordinance, 1857, whereupon they have to be
be higher if the crematorium were and Chinese in order to become the law of the only used occasionally and at long intervals.colony. If the Government offered a small prize for The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, the best design for a moveable apparatus for and the motion was carried, the cremation of the carcases of cattle it is not unlikely that it would obtain one by which the operation could be carried out as cheaply and effectively as in a fixed crematorium. Liquid find is now used on board ships, and a simple mechanical ar- rangement could no doubt be devised by which similar fuel could be fed to an open
AMENDING THE BIRTHS AND DEATHS
REGISTRATION ORDINANCE. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said-I have the honour to propose the first reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1896. Section 10 of Ordinance No. 16 of 1896 deals with the
subject of cases where a child having been registered it is desired to alter the name and also