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HONGKONG'S PETITION TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Daily Press, 2nd July.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
into the existence of insanitary properties in: Hongkong; and Dr... CLARK's recent remarks at the Sanitary Board on the reck- less sale of Crown Lands in Victoria and It is, we imagine, with feelings of no little on surface crowding. The neglect is then satisfaction that Hongkong residents gen- touched on of the Sanitary Board's recom- erally have within the past twenty-four mendations as to latrines, in 1896-99; hours seen laid before them a Petition
as to a cattle-crematorium, in 1898; the addressed to the Secretary of State for the Leight of buildings in 1898; the lime.
AR Colonies, praying for an independent enquiry | washing of villages, in 1900. a into the sanitary condition of this Colony climax, the state of affairs as to Plague and the measures to be adopted to improve is dealt with, effective use being made of the existing state of affairs. This Petition the report of Dr. J. A. Lowson on the now awaits the signature of all who wish to terrible epidemic of 1894. Dr. Lowson support it; and the various places in the then wrote, it is pointed out, that he was Colony where it can be seen and where signa- convinced that an epidemic of plague here tures will be received are specified elsewhere. could be tackled and got under rapidly if When its terms become known, we feel sure men in sufficient numbers could be got to that there will be no reluctance on the part do the work. In the present year there of those interested in the welfare of this have been one Medical Officer on duty at Colony to subscribe their names. In the Kennedytown Hospital, living a mile away first place it must be clearly understood and with prison and police duty also to that there is no violent attack on the attend to, and one Medical Officer of Health, Goverment of Hongkong, past or present. assisted by one Sanitary Surveyor and An indictment, and A strong one, of twenty Inspectors of Nuisances, not specially Government methods of looking after the trained. This is the staff which looks after health of the place, it certainly is. But it the health of 280,000 persons, of the mixed is a temperately worded document, relying character which we have here. for its force mainly on the citation of the reports of sanitary and medical experts from 1873 onwards. These extracts form as it were the backbone of the Petition, and it is for this reason, we suppose, that they were not relegated to an Appendix. The Com- mittee who drew up the appeal no doubt recollected the retort of a former Governor of Hongkong who, having his attention drawn to the fact that a certain document contained references to an appendix which had somehow been omitted, remarked that it didn't matter-no one read appendices.
The Petition, as drawn up by the Com- mittee and now presented to the public, commences with a short summary of the state of the Colony and a declaration of the necessity, if its future welfare is to be assured, that the public health must be protected. It is then pointed out that hitherto the colorists have had no effective voice in municipal and sanitary matters, and that the present insanitary condition of Hongkong cannot be laid at the door of the Sanitary Board, which has no power to carry out its own recommedations, but must be attributed to the Colonial Govern- ment itself. Then follow a series of extracts from the reports of Dr. AYRES, Colonial Surgeon, in 1873, when he spoke of the probability of "au epidemic of unenviable OBBERT renown"; the report of Mr. CHADWICK, Special Sanitary Commissioner, in 1882, the highly important recommenda- tions of whom were almost entirely ignored, .though he did not hesitate to say if they were not adopted their necessity might be demonstrated by the irrestible logic of a severe epidemic"; and the report of Dr. FRANCIS CLARK, Medical Officer of Health, in the present year-a report which we have but recently con- sidered. In reference particularly to the report of Mr. CHADWICK, whose appointment in 1881 was obtained from England at a considerable expense to the Colony, the Petition goes into the most important of his suggestions and shows how they have been neglected, for the most part as con- pletely as if they had never been made. Next Mr. COOPER'S Separate Sewerage Fystem is dealt with, and it is shown that it is still without the safeguards which Mr. CHADWICK thought necessary. Extracts follow from Dr. AYRES's report in 1882; the late Colonial Surgeon's report in 1883 (wherein he speaks of "the filthy state of things existing in the City"); the report of the Commission appointed in 1897 to enquire
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After quoting the letter of the Chamber of Commerce on the 7th ult. and the Govern- ment's reply on the 13th, the Petition sums up the situation, and concludes by praying the Fecretary of State for the Colonies: —
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1. To appoint a "Commission con- sisting of a person or persons wholly unconnected with the Colony to ' proceed forthwith to Hongkong to investigate and report (a) on the Sanitary Condition of the Colony; *(b) on the measures to be adopted for the improvement of the City of Victoria and of the Colony as it at present exists.
2. That he will be pleased to attach "to the said Commission some inde. pendent Sanitary Expert to advise.
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[July 6, 1901.
ond
sign this Petition which has for its
colony, object the future prosperity of the and the amelioration of existing evils; and as in some cases these gentlemen have been selected to represent the community, their public explanations will no doubt be expected later by those whose interests they have elected to protect and to advance. Perhaps they may be weighed in the balance of public opinion and found want- ing. The petition is a good test of public rersus private vested interests, for no one can be found to deny the equity and expediency of the object of the petitioners.
THE TRAMWAYS BILL.
(Daily Press, 2nd July.) The tramway spoken of in the proposed. Bill, as printed in extenso in the Government Gazette of June 29th, and reproduced in part in our issue of yesterday, is split up into seven sections. Section 1 begins out at a short single line Kennedytown, with about three furlongs in length, at a point east of the intersection of Chater Street Section 2, a double, and Smithfield.
half miles
in
急
B
The
and line nearly four
length, extends from Kennedy- the densest parts of town through Victoria-Saiyingpun, the City Central, and Wanchai-out to the Causeway Road. Sections 3 and 4, are single lines, connecting the main double line with the Praya East, thereby tapping the heavy traffic of that busy quarter. Section 5 is a double line, almost half-a-mile long, going from Morrison Hill Road to the Race-course, to within fifty feet of the harbour end of the Grand Staud. The foregoing five sections being within the limits of the city, are to be constructed, laid down, and maintained, as nearly as practicable, in the middle of the roadway: they are also to be watered, to allay dust, to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works. Section 6, a single line, 3. That after reciving and con- just over two and a half miles long, con- sidering the Report of such Com-tinues the termination of Section 2 in "mission, be will give directions for the Causeway Road, and proceeds past North Recommendations of that Commission Point Pattery, to within two hundred yards of No. 5 Bridge. Section 7, a single. to be forthwith carried into effect." This Petition deserves the support of the line, with passing places, is above a mile whole public of this Colony. The state of and quarter in length, and carries affairs recorded therein is intolerable, and the line along the new road now being con- if Hongkong is to continue as a prosperous structed in front of the Quarry Bay Dock Colony this state must be ended. It has Works, right on into Shaukiwan become evident that the local Government, total length to be laid is just over nine and When finished, it will though through no want of desire, is unable a quarter miles. to cope with the situation, which has simply undoubtedly be a great and convenient got beyond it. For this reason we now addition to our present limited means of appeal to higher authority and for indepen- locomot on. The plans, four in number, deut assistance. We do not see how the and all dated April 9th of this year, have appeal can be disregarded.
been already deposited, by the Company, in the office of the Director of Public Works. The gauge is not to be less than three feet six inches; it may be greater. The rails are · to be steel, and so laid as not to project above the level of the roadway." The cars, trucks and other rolling-stock must not exceed four feet six inches in extreme width, and must be fitted with flanged wheels. The construction of such a line, in its initial stages, implies more or less frequent interruption of traffic, alteration in position of gas and water-mains, temporary interference with or displacement of sewers, drains, water-courses and sub-ways, of tubes, wires, standards, poles, and other apparatus for telegraphic, telephonic, electric-lighting, and other kindred pur- poses; hence many of the provisions of the proposed Bill are specially designed to protect the existing interests of government departments, public companies and private - persons. Any difference that may crop up, owing to the clashing of this Company's interests with already acquired privileges,
(Daily Press, 4th July.)
vet.
With reference to the Petition that is being sent home asking for au enquiry into the sanitation 'of the colony, it may be of interest to those who have not as signed it to learn that up to yesterday the signatures of the local civil doctors, the architects, chemists, and the majority of the local lawyers and bankers have been appended to it." The commercial and other professional men are extensively signing the Petition, as well as the community generally; and it may not be incorrect to say that no other Petition from the colony has ever gone home containing so large a number and so representative a list of signatures as will be appended to the present Petition. Many local Government and other officials have expressed keen sympathy with the Petition, and regret their inability to sign it. At the same time a few, very few, notable instances have occurred of residents who have declined to
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