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November 3, 1902.)
let us at
"have a roof, because in wet weather a pier "like this is but poor accomodation, With a Clock Tower and a good roof I think the pier will be worthy of the sea-front of "this great city of Victoria." Now, two years after the opening ceremony, the pier remains confessedly unworthy of our sea- front, and there is, inoreover, no immediate likelihood of the disgrace being reme lied. The Clock Tower must wait and the shelter may only figure in a vote if the revenue prospects become brighter. We cannot consider this creditable to Hongkong. But if hopes of a permanent crection are do med to be vain for some years to come, least trust that the suggestion for a temt- porary shelter not only will be noted, but will be acted upon. As the Government sees the importance of the erection of a shelter and manifests anxiety about its carrying into execution, the provision of a matshed roof, of the class which adorns Hongkong in such profusion, is not too much to look for. The removal of the Clork Tower from its present site it is evidently useless to look for until many years hive elapsed. The construction of a common- place matshed covering on Blake Pier we cannot pretend to console us, but it is at least a short step in the necessary direction. The authorities will not, we hope. hesitate to spend a few dollars in making a small concession to public comfort. If we cannot be satisfied, we can at least reasonably ask for a little cover from the rain and sun for the Colony's largest pier.
on
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held
the 30th ult. in the Board Room. Present:-Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil Medical Officer (President); Hoa. W Chatham, Director of Public Works; Hon. Dr. F. W. Clark, Medical Officer of Health; Mr. F. J. Badeley, Captain. Superintendent of Police, Mr. C. McI. Messer. Acting Registrar-General; Mr. E. Osborne, Mr. Fung Wa Chun, Mr. Lan Chu Pak, and Mr. G. A Woodcock (Secretary).
ANTI-PLAGUE MEASURES.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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Mr. Furo Wa CHUN replied that it would do no harm to get two or three members of the Board to supervise the cleansing gangs.
The PRESIDENT-That is I suppose if the Chinese themselves do not do the work.
Mr. OSBORNE-Then we could discuss the matter.
Everything should be taken out of the rooms The Chinese would be given a month in which and the floors thoroughly swept and scrubbed, to do the work, and it was only in the event of and in the Chinese tenement houses particularly their failing to do in that period what was re- this was needed, as dust and dirt accumulated inquired of them that the Board's officers would be the cubicles under the beds and in the corners. called upon to take on the work.
5th of November till the 15th of December - If at the expiration of the time given from the it was found that this had not been done, it would; be necessary for the Board's offieurs to cleanse the promiss, under the provisions of the bye- ! laws for the prevention or mitigation of epidemic, end mie or contagious diseases. These hye-laws gave the Board power to undertake this work Mr. Fung WA CHUN-Yes, very well. eru in nou-epidemic times. Before doing so,
Mr LAU CHU PAK remarked that there was delt with. This coull ba dano by a
ould be ssary to define the areas to be another point worth considering, and that was motion in relation to the notice proposed to be given. dening the City and Kowloon. The advan⋅ ¦ A mere advertisement in the local newspapers tages of this method wore that the co-operation | was not sufficient, because, as members were of the Chinese wou'd be obtained, as the proposed | probably aware, many Chinese could not real metod would be less troublesome to them; English, and some not even their own secondly, the whole of the Colony would be | language. In addition to such advertisement cleanse in about one month instead of taking in the local newspapers, he thought that the
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five months, us was the case list year; and, of revesne rather than of expenditure, as defaul. thirdly, the cleansing oporations would be a source
terk would be fiued. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the benefit of cleansing versus anti-plague inoculation, he would draw the attention of the Board to the following remarks made by Sir W Collins in a popular address delivered at the recent Sanitary Congress at Manchester on Man rersus the Microbe." which he thought
of the question. natural vigour of their own life," Sir William were very propos
The Collins said, was the best security men had against the invasion of their bodies by lowly forms of animal or vegetable life. Healthy blod was fatal to disease germs. Sir William Collins suggested that bacteriologists stood foo elofe to their special study to see it in proper për- spective, and argued that is the case of tubercle and cholera and plague, and in ether diseases of uah and animals, the sanitary methods of cleausing the environment had been sucessful in stamping out disease when methods of the bacteriologist, which transferred the battle. ground with disease to the blood and tissues of the individual, though apparently successful in the laboratory, had failed in practical applica- tion. In other words. Sir William Collins stated that the clean-ing of the environment was better than inoculation. Dr. Atkinsou then formally moved the rsolution,
Mr. BADELEY seconded.
Mr. OSBOR F, ia supporting the motion, said he was quite sure that every member of the Board, and especially their Chinese collegues, would do all in his power to assist in the direction indicated by the President (Mr. Fang Wa Chun Hear, hear). There was, however, another direction in which it would be necessary, he thought, for the Board, ior, rather, the powers that be, to look well ahead, and that was with regard to the supply of water. On Wednesday a notice appeared in the papers to the effect that from the 1st of November water would be turned on in the City of Victoria for two hours only and in the Hill district for three-quarters of an hour.
The FRESIDENT movel, in accordance with notice given, That the Bard obtain authority to insert an advertisement in the English and Chinese newspapers requesting the occupiers of domestic buildings to co-operate with the Board in its efforts to combat plague by thoroughly cleansing their dwellings between the 15th November and 15th December x; and informing the owners and occupiers of domestic dwellings that the Board proposes alter De cember 15th to strictly enforce the provisions of the Bye-laws governing Domestic Clean liness aud Ventilation," and that the Board will, if on inspection it be found necessary. direct its officers to cleanse and disinfect premises under the provisions of the Bye-laws for the Prevention or Mitigation of Epidemic, Endemicor Contagious Disease. ̈ He said that the bye-laws referred to in the motion were to the effect that the occupier of any domestic buildings shall at all times cause such buildings to be kept in a clean and wholesome condition
and that the Board shall, if satisfied that any domestic building in the Colony was in a dirty condition, give notice to the householder to have such building in respect of which notic had been given thoroughly cleansed and limewashed within one week from the date of the receipt of suc notice, and that the householder shall cleanse and limewash such house in accordance with the terms of such notice. From remarks made at the last meeting of the Board by the Chinese representatives, it was evident that the Chinese preferred, to undertake this work them; selves. They should have an opportunity to do so, and with that object in view he had brought forward this motion. A mouth had been given them in which to do this work, aud what was required was that in that time not only every Chinese house should be thoroughly cleansed but also that European residents should soa that their servants' quarters were also cleansed.
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Hou. Dr. CLARK-Four hours in the City. Mr. OSBORNE corrected himself, aud pro- codded to say that if this process of cleansing was to be properly carried out they must make arrangements for an adequate supply of water, otherwise the Chinese would have a very reason- abl excuse for not cleansing their premises as thoroughly as could be wished. They would simply say that they could not cleanse because they had no water, and therefore Mr. Osborne desired to suggest that the Board ask the Government to make arraugein nts for a proper supply of water during the time that the cleansing operations were proceeding.
Mr. Fesa Wa CHUN also concurred in the President's view, and favoured Mr. Osborne's remarks with regard to an adequate supply of water. It was impossible, he said, to cleanse a house without water, and he ventured to sug- get that the President embody in his resolution a proposal for the appointment of two or three members of the Board to arrange details for the carrying out and supervision of the cleansing operations by the Board officers and coolie-gaugs. Such supervision as he hd in mind, he thought, would prevent the inflic tion of unnecessary hardships on the Chinese.
The PRESIDENT was of opinion that Mr. Fung Wi Chun did not quite understand the proposal.
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Board should causo 2 large number handbills to be printed in plain, colloquial Chines and freely distributed, so as to euable the occupiers of Chinese domestic houses to know what they were require | to do.”
The PRESIDENT-That is a very useful proposition; I think the matter might be left to the Registrar-General
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Mr. MESSER-Certainly.
The PRESIDENT (continuing)--The question of supplying wa'er. I think, is a most important on, but personally I also think that sea water-salt water-would do as well for clean- sing purposes as fresh water.
Mr. FuNG WA CHUN-You cannot cleause a house-the inside of a house, at any rate- with salt water.
The PRESIDENT -You can scrub the floors with it.
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Hon. Dr. CLARK-I think that if there is going to be a four hours' supply there will be sufficient water to cleanse the houses. Anyway, I do no think we need trouble about that at present. Mr. Fexo WA CH N-If we get a four hours' supply.
The PRESIDENT's motion was then put to the meeting and agreed to unanimously.
DUST-CLOUDS.
Mr. OSBORNE moved That measures be taken to stop the nuisance caused by scavenging cooltes raising clouds of dust in the public streets.” With the advent of the dry season, he said, the street-scavenging coolie seemed to bare becom? possessed of most extraordinary vigour and zoal-(laughter)—and evidence of this might beexperienced almost any day in the clouds of blinding dust which he created. Armed with a powerful rattau broom, ho progressed with great speed rapidly through the streets, whisk- ing dust and debris from side to side, and if perchance a European passed his especially if that European happend to be a way, and
lady, clad in the fashionable garb of a trailing skirt, then
his energy
knew no bounds, (Laughter.) There might possibly be some expliuation for this; it might be that to his untutored intellect the trailing skirt presente! itself in the light of a possible rival—(laughter) -but, be this as it might, there could be no such justification in regard to male attire, and there- fure to had been asked to bring the matter before the Board in the hope that the coolis's modus operandi might be carbed, and as remedy would suggest that he be let free only at night and the sweeping done when the streets were empty (Applause.)
The PRESIDENT thought this was more a matter for the Board to arrange with its officers.
He might state that as recently as the 9th of this month he had made a complaint to the Medical Officer of Health in regard to the matter. Numerous complaints had been received as to the nuisance existing, both in Battery Path and in Garden Road, from 9:30 am, and I p.m., the hours when Europeans were mostly coming from and going to the lower tram station. He thought that since then the nuisance had been somewhat abate:l.
Mr. USBORNE said that it had been recently brought to his notice as existing in the Peak Road near the tramway station. Perhaps it would not be necessary to press a formal motion?
The PRESIDENT was sure that if the matter was left to the Medical Officer of Health he would satisfactorily arrange it.
Hon. W. CHATHAM thought that was the