August 16, 1903.]
this late hour of the day it might be advisable and necessary to devise a rule whereby, in the event of a typhoon preventing the rubbish from being removed, the stuff should be e rried to a part of the town where there were fewer houses. It was to be hpp that there would not bo д recurrence of the incident, aud if the contractor was in any way to blame he ought to be punished. If any private householder dumped rabbish in the Praya at all hours of the day he would be fined, and very properly so, and it was not right that any servant of the Sanitary Board should be allowed to dump down rubbish in a busy part of the town, to the detriment of the public health.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE RÉPORT.
EXEMPTION APPLICATION.
An application was made for exemption from reducing the bridzes of Ns. 2, 4, Morrison Hill Road and 175, 177. Wanchai Road to a legal width of 3 ft. 6 ia.
The President:--Recommend by the Governor in Council."
The application was granted.
exemption
SMOKE NUISANCE IN WANCHAI.
There was lid on the table correspondence relative to the complaint by certain owners, shopkeepers an·l occupiers of hous in Kenuody and Tung On Streets, Wanchai, as to the existence of a smoke nuisance created by the chimney of a machine-shop at No. 1, Kennedy Street.
The PRESIDENT said this difficulty had arisen before when typhoon signals had been Dr. PEARS stated that on visiting the place hoisted or a typhoon was imminent. Hehe had failed to se any black smoke emitted, thought that was a sufficient excuse o bahalf although the furuaca was specially stoked to of the contractor, because so long as these see if black smoky could be produced. The signa's were hoisted he was not justified in owner had lengthened the chimney to prevent discarding them. To his own knowledge, siid any annoyance to his neighbours and he did not the President, the whole of Saturday and feel that he would be justified in asing the also on Sunday morning Causeway Bay Board to serve a writ on the owner and so was simply loaded with junks and simpans. interfere with his business. He supposed, too.. Of course, he saw as well as Mr. Hewett that the neighbours had a remedy at law with that it was most undesirable that such in out coming to the Sanitary Board, if they a accumulation of rubbish should gather, and wished. in order to avoid it in fatn e Dr. Pearse had issued instructions to the contractor to engage coolies when necessary to take this rubbish over to No. 1 Health District, right out at the eastern outskirts of the town, or to No. 10 Health District, in the western outskirts of the town
8OKUNPO MARKET.
Correspondence was submitted relative to Sokunpo market and the desirability of doing away with hawking in the near vicinity, it being stated that of the 62 stalls 22 cannot be let.
It was agreed to take steps to put down this objectionable hawking.
PROSECUTING INSPECTOR. On the motion of the PRESIDENT, Inspector H. Gidley, vice Inspector Allen, on leave, was authorised to institute proceedings before the Magistrate against persons contravening Section 16 of Ordinance 1 of 1903.
ADVERTISING.
Correspondenc was laid од the table relative to inserting an advertisement re notice of intention to limewash premises, the request to advertise being based on the number of letters otherise required to convey this informa. tion and the consequent expenditure of time and labour.
The request was returned from the Colonial Secretary's Office with the suggestion that there should be made out a form of letter which could be printed at the Gaol and sent to each householder concerned.
The President, in a minute attached, pointed out that an annual exp aditure of $700 was incurred by advertising the limewashing notices to warn owners that biennial limewashing must be done. This had been carried ou for years and he doubted whether it was worth the money spent. If notices were printed as suggested it would be impracticable to send them to every owner. He thought this advertisement might cease now; it ought to be generally known by this time that biennial limewashing was required. Mr. Pollock :—” Continue present practica." Mr. Lau Chu Pak: This has always been done, has it not?"
It was agreed to insert the necessary advertise- ment in the local English and Chinese newspapers,
INSANITARY FORESHORE AT HUNGHOM.
Correspondence relative to the icsanitary condition of the foreshore at the Electric Light Station, Hunghom, was submitted.
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Dr. PEARSE read a report on the subject. Mr. POLLOCK suggested that the drain age pipe there be led farther out into the sea.
The VICE-PRESIDENT said the benefit to be derived from that was questionable.
Mr. Pollock said that Dr. Swan blamed the proximity of this pipe for having do do with the illness of Mr. Johnstone's child there.
It was agreed to take no action.
LIMEWASHING.
The limewashing return showed that during the fortnight euded 21st July 87 houses in the Eastern District and 2,512 in the Western had been treated, Fines to the amount of 3691 were recovered for contraventions in the Western District.
During the fo tuight ended 4th August 361 houses in the Eastern District were treated and in the Western 2,822 hous s were don't with and fines recovered to the amount of $891.
The VICE-PRESIDENT said he believed that Dr. Swan had mistaken for a drainage pipe the pipe used in connection with supplying water to the condenser at the Electrio Works. There was no drain nearer than a quarter of a mile.
Mr. POLLOCK remarked that a quarter of a mile was near enough to be a danger, especial- ly if a wind was blowing from the water.
The discussion then dropped.
Mr. Lau Cha Pak minated :- In connection with this question I should like to know if it is absolutely necessary to limewash the undersides of floors and roofs, stair-linings and the partitions of enbicles. In former years people were required to limewash the walls only. Many complain that they have never been told as to what must be done, and consequently, after the walls have been limewashed. they are told that the work has not been done properly, because the undersides of the floors, etc., have so been limewashed, this causing them consid rable trouble aud inconvenience."
The President minuted:" The byelaws require the building to be cleansed and limewashed throughout by the owner twice a year. It appears that the cleansing by the owner has not hithert been done. It wou'd be a good plan to enforce this byelaw strictly in future."
The PRESIDE T said that Byelaw No. 5 stated that any tenement dwelling, unless specially exempted by the Board, shall be cleansed and limewashed throughout by the owner to the ralisfaction of the Board twice a year.
If this w s strictly enforced he thought it w. uld do a great deal to check the annual outbreaks of plague. He knew it would raise a hubbub to make it incumbent upon owners to cleanss their houses twice a year, but stil the byelaw stated so definitely. Cleansing would mean washing with soft soap or other similar substance. This experiment had been tried with very good effect in one of the most insanitary parts of the town, and he thought that if the Board were to insist in future on this byelaw being complied with it would do much to
materially improve the city.
Hewett concluded, he thoughts real hardship existe, and to his mind it was very necessary indeed that the Board should defue exactly what cleansing and lim+wasbing'
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The PRESIDENT moved that the matter be referred to the Acting Melical Offloat of Health, to b reported on at the nxt mesting. Mr. HEWETT secon led, and the motion was agreed to.
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water supply.
The repact of the Government Analyst (Mr F. Brown 3) for the month of July showel that he had found the water in all the public pervious to b› of excellent quality.
FOOT AND MUTH DISEASE AT
K I LUNG WAN. There was laid on the table a minute by the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon reportia z the out- break of foot and mouth diseasɔ in a oittle-sh› l at Kai Lung Wan was at an end. 28 out of the 32 animal; o›atra sto i th ́à dissașa nuð all recovered; the disease was of a very mild type. He recommended the disinfection and lim- wa hing of the sund.
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The premises wore declared free of infection.
TEMPORARY WESTERN MARKET.
A letter was laid on the table from th D.P.W. annancing the completion of th temporary market a ljscont to the new Harbone Office.
MORTALITY STATISTICS,
Mortality statistics for as far back as the week ended 27th Juns having bjen laid ou the table.
Mr. POLLOCK drew attention to the extraordinary latenes of the report.
Mr. HEWETT was of opinion that something more definite than simply "cleansing and lime- washing" should be stated. He knew of a case where certain proprietors wished to get their property into thoroughly good order, and as far as they knew it was thoroughly wa hed and cleaned out. Then the place was examined by a sanitary inspector, who sent them a notice that it was not properly cleansed, and would have to be done all over again. Haring a doubt on the point, the owners of the property got some one1 competent to judge to examine the place, and it was pronounced clean. They reported to the inspector to that effect. and used him wherein they bad failed to comply with the regulations. The reply from the inspector was that he was not bound to give any explanation; the Sanitary Board was then communicated with, and the result was the same. In view of what he had been told, Mr.
The PRESIDENT explained that the statistios were practic lly prepiral by two départman's— the Registrar-General's and the Medical Offer of Health's, one acting as a check on the other, sad he understool that the returns from some of the convents were sometimes late,
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This was all the public business,
THE HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
ELECTION OF LEPEMSENTATIVE TO
`LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
A special general meeting of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commercs was held on the 12th insc. in th Chamber Room, City Hall, to nominate a member of the Chamber to take the place in the Legislativə Council of the Hon. R. Shewan, who has been granted a yaır's leave of absence. Mr. E. A. Howelf, chairman, presided over a large attendance.
The Secretary (Mr.. A. R. Lowe) read the notice calling the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN read a letter dated 4th inst. from H.E. Sir Henry Blake, Governor, intimating that the Hon. R. Shewan had been granted a year's leave of absence and asking that a meeting of the Chamber be called to nominate a member of the Chamber to take his place on the Legislative Council
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconċed by Mr. D. R. Law, Messrs. T. P. Cochrane and J. Goosmann were appointed scrutineers.
The CHAIEMAN, having explaine-l the condi tions concerning the speaking and voting, called on the proposer of the first nomination.
Mr. D. R. LAW said-Mr. Chairman and · Gentlemen,-I have much pleasure in proposing Mr. Pollock, K.C., as the Chambʊr's representa- tive in the Legislative Council during Mr. Shewan's absence. I do so with every con- fidence, being sure that we could nɔt make a better selection, and I trust, gentlemen, that you will share my views and give him your support. Without for a single minute desiring to detract from the undoubted suitability in many ways of Mr. Hewett, I should just lire to point out briefly in what respects Mr. Pollock has, in my opinion, many advantages recommend him tɔ your suffrage. His long residence here, and his intimate knowledge of 'ill public matters, combined with the fact that he has always taken a very keen interest in overy- thing relating to the public weal, renders him peculiarly suitable for a seat in the Lagia'ative Council. He may not be so well sequsinted with commercial details as Mr. Hewett, but I venture to suggest to you that, considering Mr. Pollock's long acquaintance with business matters brought under his observation pro- fessionally, he has a sufficiently sobarate general knowledge of commercial methods to make it