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an Act nowly brought into force, an Act which they all knew perfectly well Had been carefully considered by the Government and by many people in the Colony, including the leading property owners, and whi'st it was admitted also ibat the Act would go a long way towards improving the sanitary condition of Hongkong, was unfortunately evident at the particular section dealing with cubicles was quite im- possible. Therefore he thought Mr. Pollock's proposal an eminently res pnable oue, and tritsted the Board would agree to accept it and 10 appoint the members med as a sub. committest.consider this extremely com- plicated question.
Mr. Fung Wa CHUN also spoke in favvour of the motion. It was necessery to have a sub- committee to recommend amendments that were urgently needed. The wholesale abolition of cubicles would have a sover effect on their welfare, for it would simply tend to drive all the respectable families from their midst.
The VICE-PRESIDENT suggested that the scope of the resolution might be somewhat limited. Mr. Pollock's remark had had especial raférence to cubicles, and it appeared desirable to insert something to that effect.
Mr. POLL CK did not think it desirably tu limit the rosolution, because they might possibly have to consider other matters more or less connected with cubicles.
The VICE-PRESIDENT (bought that the wards more especially with reference to the question of the provision of envioles in dwelling: houses," or something to that effect, should be inserted.
Mr. POLLOCK did not sue that there was any object in limiting the resolution. The sub-committee might be trusted to keep to certain points.
The PRESIDENT said the resolution did seom wide in its scope, but ho gathered from Mr. Pollock's remarks that it was intended to apply to the cubicle question.
Mr. POLLOCK—Yes.
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•
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
I
formerly enjoyed privacy having been romoved and such privacy thereby put an end to.
o. That in view of the fact that the cost of making the alterations necessary to comply with the requirements of the said sections of the Ordinance will necessitate the payment by the tenants of an increased rental and that practically all the latter are of the poorer classes who will receive no compusation either directly or indirectly for the increased expenditure thus cast upon them, but will be nuder the distinct disadvantage of having suffered a loss of the privacy they previously enjoyed the case of your petitioners is eminently one deserving of careful consideration by the members of your Board with a view to your petitioners ob taining through your good offices the consent of His Excellency the Governor, in exercise of the power vested in him by section 151 of the Ordinance, to a modification of the require ments of such section, especially having regard to the circumstances in connection with the long-con/inued occupation by such of your petitioners ns are tenants of the buildings now being dealt with under the raid sections, such occupation having been hitherto suffered for a large number of years.
Your petitioners therefore respectfully ask that the members of your Board will be good enough to assist them in the direction above mentioned so that your petitioners thereby obtain some modification in or exemp; tion from the requiremonts of the said sections in order that they may not be disturbed in thoir sujoyment and occupation of the said build ngs.
And your potitio ers will ever pray, etc. Dated the 29th July, 1903.
The PRESIDENT-I move that this petitioa by forward d by the Board to Government for their consideration.
M. POLLOCK-I think it would be as well | to let it be considered by the sub-committee of
the Board.
Mr. Fung Wa CHUN also favoured this
Mr. HEWITT-I think |}]o sub-committec | course, which it was decided to adopt.
appointed will not go out
enlarge their labours unduly
The motion was put t carried.
their way to
meeting and
The PRESIDENT nominate the following as members of the sub-committe-Mr. Pollock Mr. Rumjahn, Mr. Lau Cha Pak, Dr. Pearse, and the President.
Mr. HEWETT seconded.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK suggested the iuclusion of Mr. Fug Wa Chun's name,
The PRESIDENT-I think five aro ́quite sufficient 話
Mr. Fung WA CHUN—Yes, I think so; five are quite enough. (Laughter)
The constitution of the sub-committee as suggested by the President was approved of.
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DISINFECTING STATION.
Correspondence was submitted relative to the erection of the disinfecting station at Kowloon the plang of which were approved,
LATRINE.
Correspondence was also submitted relative to the proposed erection of a public latrine ou a triangular space behind the Harbour Office.
The applicants in the matter wore notified to address the Colonial Secretary.
PLAGUE RETURNS--- A LETTER.
A le tor was received from Sir Robert Hart regarding the supply of plague returns by Com- missioners of Customs at Swarow, Canton. &c. The letter stated that it was uncertain whether the desire for a weekly plaguo bulletin could be given effect to. but that insˇructions would be THE CUBICLE QUESTION AGAIN,
issued to the various Commissioners to supply The PRESIDENT read a petition from Mossrs. the dougkong Government from time to time Ewens & Harston, solicitors, as representing with any reliab o news they may obtain through certain landlords, merchant, tradesmen, shop-medical or other chauuels respecting bubonic koopers, etc., in the Colony with reference to the cubicle question.
plague in their districts.
The PRESIDENT said this was one of the recommendations made by 'rofessor Simpson last year, but it appeared that there was some difficulty in obtaining the information. Several doctors had requested that they should be paid a fee for supplying it, and the request was not
It was in the following terms: TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ANITARY BOARD. The Humble Petition of the under- sign d landowners, merchants, tradesmen, shopkeepors and resi- dents of the Colony of Hongkong, | ar unreasonable one.
Sheweth
1. That your petitioners are the landowners, merchants, tradesman, shopkeepers and resi dents of Hongkong and their interests are identical with the prosperity of Hongkong.
2. That since the 1st May, 1903, Sections 16 and 151 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, No. 1 of 1003 have been put into force in No. 5 Health District with the rosult that no cubicle is allowed to remain in upy house within the said District not already provided with a window opening directly on the external
air
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It was decided to let tho subject staud over for a time.
LATRINE IN KOWLOON CITY.
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August 1903.
Plans were inspected of houses to b on Kowloon Tulaud Lots 1,104 and 1,105, und showing yard spaces of houses ou Reclamation Murine Lots 634 and 63 s etion 2.
The plans in each iu tance were approved.
INSPECTURE OF NUBANCES. Correspondence was laid on the table relative to the appoinment of all xistin e | sanitary inspectors to be inspectors of nuisances under the Sale of Food and Drugs Ordinance, 1896.
4
It was decided to forward the papers to. Government for the opinion of the Attorney.
General.
IMPORTATION (F DOGS.
Correspondence was received relativo to the prohibition against the importation of dogs from Shanghai,
The reasons for its enforcemont having ceased to exist, the PRESIDENT moved the with drawal of the prohibition order, and was supported by Mr. BEWETT, who hoped that such prohibition would never bo enforced unless it was absolutely necessary.
It was agreed to forward the recomwisudation to the Government.
LIMEWASHING return. į The limewashing rotura for the fortnight ended the 21st inst, showed that out of 4,766 houses in the Eastern district and 5,935 in the Western, 87 and 2,512 respectively were limewashod. A sum of $69, in fines resulted from 120 prosecutions in the latter distriot.
APPLICATIONS.
A large number of applications for licences of various kinds were dealt with.
This was all the public business.
HEALTH OF THE COLONY.
notified during the two days ended at "noon Only one case of plague (Chinese, dead) was
ou the 27th ult., the body was brought to the door of 28, Caine Roal.
Juring the week ended Saturday, 25th ult., 13 cases of plague and 11 deaths occurred; all the victims except one, a Japanese who died, were Chinos". The total cases for the year number 1361, distributed as follows: 35 European, 1,248 Chinese, 81 other | Asiatics; the deaths Europeans, 1,155 Chinese, 30 other Asiatics.
aggregate 1,198, namely-
The only ther cases of communicable disease occurring during the week ended the 25th ult, were one of enteric fever (Indian) and one of puorperal fever (Chinese, fatal).
SIR E. SATOW IN INDIA.
Sr Fruest Satow, the British Minister 1ọ China, on his arrival in Bombay made (says the Allahabad paper) an extremely diplomatic speech to the Bombay Millowners Association, in reply to an address on the subject of Indian trade with China. The chief matter of discussion was the abolition of lekiú, and the millowuers wero concerned lest the abolition should be merely nominal, and under the new Treaty they should be mulcted in heavier import duties and have to pay the exactions of the mandarins in addition Bir Ernest Satow, however, was able to re#sgure them there is no immediate prospect of the new Treaty coming into force at all; years will probably slapse before all the Power interested have come to an arrangement with China. But when the Treaty does come. into force, it does not follow that it will be properly carried out. Quite a number of stipu lations under the Treaty of 1858 have remainied a dead letter until the present day, and Chinese irgonuity in avoiding awkward provisions in Treaties is probably quite as great to day as it was half a century ago. As the Tombay millowners pointed out, foreign control of the Inland as well as the Maritime Customs-of- China would be the only possible method of outwitting the mandarins. The fact of goods being of foreign brigift shall of itself free them from all taxation, delay, or stoppage, after baving passing the Customs House says the Treaty. But to ensure the osrrying out of that provision foreigaontrol of the internal administration would be ecessary, and English- Further correspondence was received relativo | men, at any rate, are convinced that such control to the plan of 15 houses proposed to be erected I would involve evils at least as great as the on Aberdeen Inland Lot No. 76.
abases it would correct.
A petition from Kau Chun, scavenging contractor in Kowloon City, &c., relative to the erection of a privately-owned public latrine on a certain site in Kowloon City, was tendered.
Consideration of the matter was postponed.
REPORT,
A report by Mr. A. Gibson, Colonial Veterin- ary Surgeon, on a sample of pork sout by Mr. O. F. Ribeiro for examinatiou; was tabled. It showed that the pork was di ensed.
That your petitioners understand that all The PRESIDENT said this was the first case the hous in the Colony whether European or of the kind that had occurred within his few exceptions are not in recollection, and that went back fifteen years, danco, zith the requirements of the Ordin: | Thế Colonial Veterinary Surgeon, was on the pect of the above indicated | watch to see if any more pork was in the same
condition.
matterst
questio
dicted inhabita reason of the
already been in.
is in general and the
trict in particular by wherein such inhabitants
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PLANS.
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