272
being done by the Sanitary Board and the anxious desire of that body for improved sanita- tion, he is not prepared to recommend the orea- tion of a Trast to the Secretary of State, who has so lately decided against the proposal to grant municipal powers in the colony."
Dr. HARTIGAN and Lient. Col RYAN ex- pressed their dissatisfaction. with the reply, con- sidering that the answer ought to have been more detailed.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
CLUB
[April 21, 1900.
Mr. Fung Wax CHUEN said that the Chi-OPENING OF THE NEW SLDIERS nese Commercial Union would do all they could to assist in improving the sanitation of the colony, and that the committee purposed issuing notices in Chinese urging that the cleansing and limewashing of houses should be attended to without delay
The CHAIRMAN suggested that the discussion on the matter should also be left over until the The fortnightly limewashing return stated: next meeting, seeing that it was so intimately "The period for limewashing of Central dis- connected with overcrowdin", and bts suggestrict is still current. Many landlords leave the tion was adopted.
limewashing till the last few day of the period, The Inspector in charge of limewashing reports that he has visited three or four hundred houses (several times individually) for which he has had notices of "intention" where work has not been started. This entails on him considerable The analyst's report for the quarter was sub-needless and avoidable work.” mitted. Some observation were made as to the report, Lieut. Col. RYAN asking if whisky was considered by the Board as the only food and drug to be dealt with.
ANÁLYST'S REPORT.
THE DAY OF MEETING.
A reply re the meetings of the Legislative and Executive Councils coinciding with the Sanitary Board meetings, was to the effect that in future the meetings would be held on Mor. days as a rule.
THE PRAYA ORDINANCE. The next item was $6
Adjourned discussion of the Buildings on Marine Lot 10 A, Praya Reclamation-lay-out yards and lane at back." It was suggested that in this case the Praya Ordinance should be departed from, and as the Chairman thought the departure would be an improvement it was sanctioned, on condition that no obstruction be placed at the entrance to the lane.
CLEANSING AND LIMEWASHING. The following report of work done in connec-
EXTENSION OF TIME,
Wong Kam and Tin Wing Shing, of 26 and 28, Kennedy street, respectively, anked to be allowed to keep their cattle in the sheds 26 and 18, Kennedy street, for a further period of four months, ie., until a new shed is built.
It was decided to grant the application.
THE DRAINAGE BYE-LAWS.
A letter was submitted from the Surveyor (Mr. Drury) recommending the alteration of Drainage Bye-law No. 55, or the addition of another Bye-law made under Ordinance 24 of 1857, to give the Bard power to enforce opeu semi-eggshaped channels instead of under- ground pipes, to the greatest extent possible, in any private house drainage scheme in the city, which Bye-law No. 55 does not provide
for.
Dr. Hartigan, Mr. Osborne, and Dr. Lowson
minuted in favour of the scheme.
The CHAIRMAN proposed that this matter be referred to a sub-committee which at present tion with issuing warning notices concerning existed and which was dealing with the subject
cleansing and limewashing was submitted.
"Within the last 18 days (i.e. since the in- troduction of these new notices) we have only been able to obtain about 300 names of owners from the Land Office. The total number of notices served up to noon on the 4th April was only 176 The total number of houses in
the Central District of the city is 4,000 odd,
exclusive of the houses in Yaumati which num- ber 500 approximately-and which have to be lime-washed before the end of this month. These reminders ought to be served before the 30th April. At the present rate of obtaining the names of owners, it will take fully four months. (a) The books in the Land Office are not up to-date, and difficulty is very often found in obtaining the owners of properties.
$4
of drains.
Mr. McKie seconded and the motion carried.
THE PLAGUE IN FORMOSA.
Was
A return from the British Consulat Tainan showed that from the 11th to the 16th March 137 cases of plague were reported. The deaths num- bered 1u5, recoveries 15, under treatment 17.
PLAQUE IN MACAO,
The deaths in Macao for the week ended March 25th numbered 69, including 15 from plague.
THE HEALTH OF HONGKONG.
The death rate of the colony for the week ended March 24th was 27.3 against 23 for the previous week and 148 for the corresponding week last year
Dr. CLARK said the Board would have to do (b) In many instances, when a Lot Numbersomething. tle had there a return which showed is divided into several Sections and Subsections, as is generally the case, and finally into Sectious of the Subsections, it is necessary to refer to five or six volumes (huge books) in order to find a single name, and this cannot be done at once, because solicitors and others generally crowd the Land Office the greater part of the day, searching for names of owners, Deeds, memorials and other papers.
(c) There is only one street index in the Land Office, and one index to Lot Numbers (both old), and therefore it is very difficult to have possession of the two books when many business people are urgently in want of them at all times. "These two books are passed from one person to another, and so a lot of time is wasted before they get into my hands.
(d) Owing to great pressure of work in the L.O. it is impossible to register transfers of
pro- per-up-to-date, and so notices have in many in- stances been served on the former owners with the result that the notices have been returned.
(e) In the case of new properties, such as those on Connaught, Des Voeux, and Shaukiwan roads, and of a good many properties of Yau- mati, Tsim-tea-tsue and Hunghom, the required -nformation is not obtain ible at the L. 0...
Dr. CLABK proposed that the Board revoke the resolution of the 15th March owing to the fact that it had proved impracticable and that the Government be asked to grant the Board power to expend money in advertising in the Chinese and European press and pusting pla- cards during the various periods in which the lime washing was required to be done.
The CHAIRMAN, in seconding, expressed the opinion that the majority of owners of the property knew perfectly well what was required
of them:
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INTERESTING ADDRK88 BY H‚E, MAJOR-
GENERAL GASCOIGNE, 0.M.G, S Heretofore the members of the different units composing the Garrison of Hongkong have had no proper place where they could meet together to pass away an odd hour ontside Barracks pleasantly. The want of
such a place has long been felt, and now that want has been met by the transformation of the building known as "G Block" in Queen's Road East, opposite Fletcher Street, into a Soldiers Club, which was formally opene1 by Uis Excellency Major-General Gascoigne, C.M.G., on Saturday, the 14th inst., in the presence of a large number of officers, non-commis- sioned officers, and men of the Garrison, with a sprinkling of Bluejickets. The pre- mises were at one time used as a kind of insti- tute for soldiers and sailors, and though the institute did some good work it was not made use of to any appreciable extent, no doubt in con- sequense of intoxicating liquors being tabooed and religion being somewhat prominently put forward. His Excellency the Major-General and his officers recognised that "Tommy" was evidently of opinion that it was possible
to
have too much of a good thing, and. taking the same view, determined to sup- ply him with a club identical with their own. The War Office returned a favourable answer to a suggestion forwarded to them by His Ex- cellency, granting the free use of the building. The furniture and fittings, however, had to be provided, and the men have to thank their officers (not forgetting the General) for get- the building. On the ground floor is a bar where ting together the wherewithal to rig out
a decout glass of beer can he procured at a small cost. Upstairs is a large room to be used one part as the dining room, another part for reading, and a third part for billiards. The room is comfortable, light, and airy, and is well adopted in every way for the purposes for which it is being put.
His Excellency arrived at the club' at about accompanied by Mrs. Gascoigne, the Misses five o'clock on Saturday afternoon, being
Edgington, and Captain Trefusis, › A.D.C. The party at once inspected the premises, and expressed themselves as well pleased with what in the large room and His Excellency ad- they saw. Subsequently those present assembled
dressed some observations to them.
His Excellency the MAJOR-GENERAL said :- that the number of cases of plague up to date
Ladies and gentlemen, men of the Garrison of Hongkong-because it is to you that I particularly- was 39. During the last five days they had hid 13 cases. Practically all the cases notified experiment that we are trying to-day, and whe- want to make my remarks to-day--this is a new had occurred in Wanchai (No. 2 district.) Hether it succeeds or fails will rest entirely with proposed that No. 2 district should be declared infected with plague. He added that during the last fortnight 2,918 rats had been destroyed, which was 700 more than during the previous fortnight. The total number of rats destroyed
was 7.771.
Dr. Lowson seconded and the motion was carried
It was decided that it be left to Drs. Lowson and Clark to organise an efficient search for plague cases in No. 2 district, and that the Government be asked to supply the funds ne- cessary for the purpose.
THE IMPORTATION OF DOGS FROM SHANGHAI. A letter from H.B.M.'s Consul General at Shangbai was attached, stating that the port was free from rabies, but that cases had occurred within the last six months.
just to tell you a few of the circumstances that you, the Garrison of Hongkong. I should like led up to the conception of the starting of this club. Very shortly after I assumed command of the Garrison here, several senior officers came to me and regretted that there were not more opportunities of recreation for the troops in the Garrison, and I saw myself that that was a very great want, and I determined to do everything I could, in conjunction with the officers, to remedy that want, and we are trying to do our best in various ways. You know that there is that Parade Ground, as it used to be called. We have got that turfed and levelled, and we hope to keep it for the recreation of the troops
for games, and so forth because I feel that going the whole way to Happy Valley is incon- venient sometimes to the men, and I do recog- The MEDICAL OFFICKÉ OF HEALTH minuted: nise that the one want of Hongkong is greater In view of the fact that cases of rabies have facilities for recreation. Well, then the Gar- occurred in Shanghai during the past six rison of Hongkong is peculiarly situated, as you months, I recommend that the prohibition of know, by all the units Being broken up into the importation of dogs from that port be ex-detachments, The Artillery are at Stoneout- tended for a period of six m nths from date.-
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS agreed with the Medical Officer of Health,
On the motion of Dr. CLABE, seconded by Mr. J. MOKIE, the recommendation above was adopted.
The Board then went into committee.
Mr. W. J. Napier succeeds Mr. C. Stringer, who retires on departure to England, as an Un- official Member of the Legislative Council at Singapore.
--
ters, Belchers, and Lyeemoon, the Welch Fusiliers are at Mount Austin, here in Queen's Road, and over at Kowloon. In fact there are any number of small detachments, and therefore it was thought by the officers that if we could have a sort of central olub or re creation place of meeting, where the diferent units s could occasionally meet together, and where a man who might be tired of stay. ing in Barracks could come outside – Bar- racks and sit and amuse himself and smoke his cigar and have a glass of bear, we should