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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND seconded by Mr. SHARP and carried with of coolies go up the hillside and fetch water acclamation.
The next resolution dealt with the election of a Working Committee, whose duties, the CHAIRMAN intimated, would be to consider the various suggestions for the celebration of the Coronation and report to the full Committee what they thought should be done.
V
from the nullahs. I beg to second Mr. Osborne's motion,
Mr OSBORNE-They are actually scooping water out of the big nullah alongside the Barracks.
'The motion was carried.
WATER ANALYSES
Mr. POATE-I beg to propose that the follow- The Analyst's ordinary report bore that the ing gentlemen be elected to the Working Com- results of analyses of Kowloon, Tytam and mittee:-The Chairman (ez officio), the Hon. | Pokfulum service showed the water to be of Sec. (ex officio), Hon. T. H. Whitehead, Hon.excellent quality. Director of Public Works, Hon. Harbour Mr. Osborne minuted: :-"It would be in- Master, Hon. Registrar-General, Acting Cap- teresting to have an analysis of the water tain Superintendent of Police, and Messrs. J. brought over from Chia Wan.”
This The PRESIDENT
water has ben Barton, W. Danby, W. B. Dixon, C. Ford, Fung Wa Chun. Ho Tang, E. Osborne, A. Turner, and W. H. Wickham.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-I beg to second the resolution. I think that a Working Committee consisting of a dozen members or so will facili- tate business, and I am sure that the members of this Committee will agree that it is very convenient also.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY I think it would be better if the resolution stated that the Working Committee should have power
add to its number.
to
Mr. Ho TUNG was of the same opinion, and the resolution, as amended, was carried unani- mously.
The CHAIRMAN invited the members of the Working Committee to remain for a little to discuss ways and means, and the meeting dispersed.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on the 17th inst. in the Board Room Present:-Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil | Medical Officer of Health (President); Hon. A. W. Brewin, Registrar-General (Vice-Presi- dent); Dr. F. W. Clark, Medical Officer of Health; Mr. Edward Osborne, Mr. Lau Chupak, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
REPORTS.
The second report for 1902 of the Quarterly Inspection Committee and the annual sanitary report for 1901 were laid on the table.
IMPURE WELL WATER.
There was laid on the table a report by Mr. F. Browne, the Government Analyst, in which he stated that he had by request analysed a sample of water taken from a well at 85, Well- ington Street, and he was of opinion from the results obtained, that this water was so tainted with impurities as to be unfit for potable pur poses and likely to prove injurious to health.
“Mr. Osborne minuted:-"No more wells should be closed until we have a sufficient water supply. Better have slightly impure water than none at all. This well should not be closed but the owner made to line it properly."
The PRESIDENT-I think it would be better to avoid the use of water for potable purpose, where sewage contamination is shown to exist; otherwise there is a dangerof typhoid and cholera
Mr. OSBORNE Is there no way to get out fo the difficulty whilst maintaining the water supply?
The PRESIDENT-I think it would be im- possible to do so here,
Mr. OSBORNE-It is a pity, I think, to close the wells if it is at all possible to improve them. This water is no doubt possibly dangerous to health under ordinary circumstances. But the Board have to bear in mind that the Chinese, as a rule, I think, drink no unboiled water, and therefore any little contamination that may be in this well would not affect those who may drink water from it: the chances are at least that it would not affect them; and considering the awful straits to which the Chinese poor are put at the present moment and have been for the last two or three months, to get water, I think we should not close these wells without the ful- lest investigation. I would suggest that this matter be referred back to the proper authority to see whether the well could not by some means be put into a state suitable for the supply of water.
Mr. LAU CHUPAK—I may at the same time, »Kir, call attention to the fact that the Chinese are now getting water from the nullahs on the hillside, and I believe the water from them is worse than that from this well. Crowds
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analysed daily for the last fortnight and still maintains the same degree of purity as when first reported to the Board.
ADULTERATED MILK.
[April 21, 1902.
LIME-WIFHING RETURNS.
A report was submitted showing that during the fortnight ended 29th March, 576 houses were lime-washed in the Central District.
This was all the public business. HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
At the monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, held in the Chamber Room, City Hall, on Tuesday, the 1st April, 1902. at 4 p.m.,-. Present: Sir Thomas Jackson (Chairman). Mr. C. S. Sharp (Vice-Chairman), Messrs. A, Haupt. E. A. Hewett, W. Poate, N. A. Siebs, H. E. Tomkins, Hon. T. H. Whitehead (ex-officio), and R. C Wilcox (Secretary pro tém).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the last monthly meeting (hold 25th February) and the special meeting (held on the 11th March) were read and confirmed.
ELECTION OF COMMITTEES.
The following were elected on the Correspond-
A report by the Government Analyst was laid on the table showing that during the quar- ter ended 31st March, 2 samples of milk had been examined and both found to be adulterated. All other various sample examined were founding and Arbitration Committees respectively :- genuine-these comprising of rum, 1 of brandy, 3 rf whisky, I of gin, and 2 of beer.
Mr. Csborne miunted":- Where did the adulterated milk come from? The public might. Hoot, W. Poate, N. A. Siebs, and H. Arbitration Committee.-Messrs. A. Haupt,
like to know."
The Registrar-General minnted prosecutions heen instituted
The PRESIDENT-One of these samples came from a dairy in the New Territory, and the other from a private source. Proceedings are being taken in the second case. but it is not advisable to state the source from which the milk came, otherwise it might nullify these proceedings.
Corresponding Committee. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. J. J. Boll-Irving, and R. C. Wilcox.
E. Tomkins.
ALLEGED DIFFERENTIAL DUTIES ON PAPER. Read letter from the Tai Shing Paper Mann. facturing Co., Ld., complaining that their products are placed at a disadvantage with those made at Shanghai, being charged a higher duty.
It was decided to communicate with the Shanghai Chamber with a view to ascertain whether any and what ground exists for the im position of the alleged differential duties on A plan was submitted of two houses on paper manufactured here and in Shangbai. H.H.İ.L. 195 and 196, Bulkeley Street.
PLANS OF HOUSES.
The Medical Officer of Health minuted The corner house should be designed in the same way as the other two. I am not in favour of the bridges across the small yard. There should be a large window from living room into yard on each floor.”
The Director of Public Works minuted :- The corner house has ample provision of lighting, etc., without being made to correspond with the others. The bridges appear to be more in the nature of small balconies or hoods which would enable the windows to be kept open during rainy weather. appear to measure 9 or 10 feet in height by 34 feet wide, which is a large size. One of these is shown to each living room."
propos
The windows
I agree with
MEMORANDUM ON OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE CANTON RIVER.
A lengthy and exhaustive memorandum on the above question by Capt Lloyd, of the China Navigation steamer Hankow, was then con- sidered. It was decided to forward copies of this document to the British Minister at Peking and to Sir Jas. Mackay, aud to send a letter of thanks to the author for the trouble taken. Also to ask the Canton Chamber of Commerce to join in the representations to the Minister and Commissioner.
"THE CHINESE REVENUE AND THE
NEW TREATY.
A
The SECRETARY stated that a pamphlet with the above title. by Mr. E. S. Little, of Shaug- hai, had been received and circulated. The 80 in. protest against pamphlet was creased tariff from a merchant's point of view, with some suggested regulations for Mining in China. The author expressed the hope that this Chamber would take action on this question.
A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CANTON
RIVER TRADE.
Mr. E. Osborne minuted :- the Medical Officer of Health."
Dr. CLARK-This is an application for exemption in providing ba k-yards because of lane in the the existence of a 10 feet rear of the houses. The principle on which the Board has hitherto gone in these exemp-
The SECRETARY said that a new develop- tion cases, is that the kitchen should be extended across one-half of the width of.the ment in the direction of evading payment of Chinese duties had been brought to his notice. house and that the other half should be a yard thrown into the lane. That required a The Ching fei, a tax levied by the Viceroy of lane 15 feet, whereas this is only 10 feet. It is the Two Kwang on about thirty-four articles of import, carried in Chinese craft, has, since d to put a bridge across in the one case
the Native Customs were placed under the and to make no provision for the corner house. From one point of view, perhaps it is not neces- Imperial Maritime Customs, been collected by the latter at Taishan Station, at the entrance sary to have a recess of this kind in a corner
to the Canton River. The tax is not a heavy house, but it makes a better design, a better
I have no doubt these one, but it is sufficiently appreciable to make it house, when there is one. recesses will be used for the reception of filth from worth while to evade it if possible. A means the back of the house and will be kept clean by the to do so has been discovered by placing the scavenger. I therefore think it better to have junks under the German and American flags, As to the bridge, I consider that' the junkmasters receiving as authority a docu- As re.ards the ment stamped with the Consular seal at Canton, would be a great mistake. window to which Mr. Chatham refers, my upon exhibition of which they were allowed to minute refers to the ground floor, which has pass the Customs Station without payment of no window into the back yard but which has a' tbe Ching-fei. The British Consul at Canton door and which would have no back-light at all., is unable to give similar anthorisation to junk' evea when owned by After some discussion over the plan, Dr. and lorcha owners
the Harbour Mas- Clark's recommendations were adopted; the British subjects, as bridge however being approved but restricted to ter here would not grant a permit unless the vessels carried a certificated master. The fact 2 feet width.
therefore remains that it is possible-and the thing is being done-for a Chinese junk to leave the port of Hongkong under shelter of a foreign flag with the express purpose of evading payment of Chinese local duties, and at the same time trade is being diverted from its accustomed channels.
the recess.
A plan showing the construction of two houses on K.I. Lot 707, Taikoktsui, was approved with slight modification.
MORTALITY STATISTICS,
The death-rate for the week ended 22nd March was reported to have been 16.8 per 1,000 of the population per annum as compared with 17.9 in the preceding week and 14.9 in the corresponding week of the previous year.
i
In reply to questions, The SECRETARY said he obtained this informa-