January 27, 1900.]
meati
ghtt
and Mr. Shelton gentlemen Who
othe
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
with the express design of securing to the whole «hich rendered necessary the clear under- | -・ In Mr. Henry
mmuuity, through the renters of land standing of the powers involved in the Hooper we have two self-government, and the power preservation of peace and good order. trusted to atten of ation for municipal purposes, with the Recent events have clearly demonstrated devolving upon them as
under both these heads of providing for that the Chinese Government is to more their nomination in some quarters because of
Sanitary Board. Objection has their own security and well being. With these explanations he would trust that the capable in 1906 of undertaking the task their connection with the building interest. To relation in which Her Majesty's Consul and
than in 1854, and that the community has me this seems a recommendation in the present his colleagues, the Consuls of their respective only just succeeded in averting by its aleri-oircumstances. The Board is composed of governments, stood towards the community ness such an event as then occurred; only eleven members, and its main business is to could not be the subject of misapprehension or that in 1905 the damage to China and see that the requirements of the Pablis distrust. He was the more anxious to guard Chinese interests would have been tinny Health and Buildings Ordinance are carried against such a possibility from the conviction hundred-fold greater than in the previous interest be represented on
out. Why, then, should not the building the Board: Experience has taught the necessity for having
that it could not fail to be injurious alike to the community as a body, and to the public in- ter ats, betwe ́n which and their own prosperity
there was a close connection.
There was
not the slight st wish either on his part or that of bis colleagues to overstep limits. So far from
this the necessity now pressing on the community y for the immediate establishment of Municipality in some form was to be traced to the impossibility, by any exercise of consular authority of making provision for the security of the settlement without a municipal consti'u- tion. To give that cosmopolite com- munity a legal status, an existence as a body capable of taking legal action, and of lending a legal sanction to measures required for their defence, there must be s me organisation to take the form of a representative Council with municipal powers and authority. The functions to be exercised on their behalf by such Council were no longer those of a Road and Jetly Committee; but involved the protection of life and property fom causes of national distur- bance in the country where they were looted; from sources of disquiet and danger with and without the settlement, where a large native population bid fair to dispute possession with the foreigner for every rond of ground within the limits. And one of the fist acts of such Municipality, or rather one of the first and greatest benefits naturally flowing from its creation, won'd be the legalisation of many measures hitherto forced by a stern necessity upon the naval and civil authorities on the spot, but which could not be justified on any principle of legality. All the regulations and measures necessary for the preservation of health, in the maintonanes of cleanliness, for the organisation of police, for the creation and administration of a revenue, were comprehended in municipal government.” 1
enck of the city at the hands of the Triad Association in September, 1853.
HONGKONG JOTTINGS..
25th January,
on the Board men who know something, from the public's standpoint, of the Board's operations under this ordinance, and while Messrs. Humphreys and Shelton Hooper are not likely to obstruct any useful sanitary measure they may usefully serve the public in many ways which their knowledge of existing conditions will readily sugges“,
When the proposed extension of the Conduit Road is carried out, it will open up a large number of eligible building sites which will doubtless be readily sold. I understand that it is proposed to extend the road as far West as the Victoria battery, and Eastward as far as Magazine Gap Road.
I understand (unofficially, of course, fr official secrets are carefully guarded) that the reason for the extraordinary secrecy which is being observed in regard to the arrangements for the welcoming of H. R. H. Prinos Arthur of Connaught on the occasion of his visit to the Colony, is that the programme has been des patched to His Royal Highness for his approval before publication. But the reason seems a mation from the public. It is not intended, I very inadequate one for withholding all infor-
I observe that the papers have unanimously believe, that the welcome shall be a purely old us that Mr. Murray Stewart gave an official affair, and if the public are expected to interesting lecture the other day on "A Trip do their part on the ocossion the draft pro to Babaland," but I doubt whether the lecture gramme ought to be published without delay. contained a single referenc, to sheep. As I was it is usual on such occisions elsewhere than in not present, I would not like to take an oath on Hongkong for a public meeting to appoint the point; but I will swear an affi lavit that Mr. representative committee to assist the Govern-Stewart spoke not of Babaland, but Bab-rland ment in such arrangements. Who constitute the land described by Colborne Baber in his the Committee in the present instance few well known account of his travels in Western appear to know, and they know just as much Chins. about what is to be done on the occasion. I am told that it is highly improbable that the Prince will visit Canton; in that case His Royal Highness will be in the Colony about four days.
Such is the undoubted and unquestionable position occupied by the Municipal Council of Shanghai; it has under no circumstances sought to overstep the. limits placed upon it; nor has it on the one hand refused to acknowledge the demands of the Consuls acting within their rights, nor on the other sought occasions of quarrel with the Chinese Government as such. Its very inception was due to the fact that, as the organised 1 representative of the community at large, it could legally do things in self-defence which would in the case of a foreign Consul require the legal sanction of a state of hostility
:
y; and that it has performed these duties, not alone in its own interest but far more in the interests of the Chinese Government itself, has now become a matter not of opinion but of history. These rights and these powers it has exercised now for over half a century to the benefit of the world at large; and in no slight degree it may plead that the existence of the Peking Government itself has been materially advanced by the presence within the Foreign Settlements of Shanghai of a well organised and effective body, quite detached from any political aims whatever, and solely engaged in its own interest in preserving within the limits allotted to it peace and good order. In 1854 the ques- tion of supervision over the native gaols could not have entered into discussion,
180 up
till that period there did not ist the necessity, as there were no native ts. The native population came, wever, not by any act or wish of the foreigner, but for the protection its munici- pal government afforded, and it was this
Since the above note was written the Com- mittee has sent the programme for publication, and the public when they read it will be puzzled to discover what there is in it to demand all the official reticence that has hitherto been maintained regarding the matter. My fancy had led me into surmising that perhaps His Royal Highness would be invited to turn the the time apparently has not yet arrived for that, first sod of the Kowloon-Canton Railway--but though the survey in British territory, I believe, was completed wee1 8 ago.
and
BANTAN.
HONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on January 23rd at the Board Room. The Hon. Dr. F. Clark (president) presided, and there were als› present: Dr. W. W. Pearse, M.O.H., Dr. Macfarlane, Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Mr. E. A. Hewett, Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin, Mr. Fang Wa-chun, Mr. Lau Chu-pak and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (segretary).
A NEW YEAR PRIVILEGE. The M.O.H. recommended that the Markets
be allowed to be open all night on the 24th,
25th and 26th instant.
This was agreed to. :
DEPTH AND TURFING OF GRAV88.
Reports were furnished regarding the depths of children's graves, and the turfing of graves,
With regard to depth Mr. E. A. HEWETT minuted that while fully aware this was a ques- tion which the M.O.H. could deal with, he thought it would be more satisfactory to that
official if he received definite instructions.from the Board.
I have to apologise for making the rash statement a fortnight ago that, as a new Post Office is in course of erection, the Government would not spend the few dollars necessary to make the exterior of the pres at Post Office presentable. I hasten to retract the statement. What the coming Royal visit will cost the Government in paint and whitewash scrubbing brushes must make the D. P. W. shudder to contemplate. By the time His Royal Highness arrives the Post Office will look spic-and-span, the few statues we have will have lost their accustomed diet-bgrimmed that appearanos of dignity it should have asserton in the Colonial cemetery had never appearance, ani Blake Pier will try to take on the main landing stage at the premier shipping dug graves for children more than about port of the world--but it will be a sorry four and a half feet deep. In fact it would b attempt, I fear.
very difficult for a grave digger to dig a child's grave seven feet deep unless he made it corrǝs- pondingly wider and longer.
The M.O.H. said that nearly a year ago the Board agreed to an amendment of the bye- law requiring graves to be seven feet deep, to by but the amendment was not agreed the Governor-in-Council. He found that the
it
The PRESIDENT thought the Board could the case of graves of children. He moved that safely a low the M.O.HI. to use his discretion in that officer by authorized to permit graves of children under tw I've years of age to be dug to a depth of not less than four fest.
Mr. HEWETT second d, and the motion was carried.
The procedure at elections in Hongkong is unique, though the Ordinance requires that it There were two vacancies to fill on the Sanitary shall generally follow the procedure in England. Board. As only two candidates were nominated, there was no necessity, according to the proce- dure at home, for a ballot to be laken. I under stand the object of faking a ballot ander the cir- cumstances was to determine the seniority of the candidates when they take their s'ats on the Board; thongh as they are both elected for the same term it is difficult to fathom the necessity for such a proceeding. If for some inscrutable reason this is n3cessary in Hongkong, surely it ought to be explained to the ratepayers in the official notices, for I do not suppose one in ten custom is opposed to reasonable sanitary pro- were aware of it.
With regard to the question of turfing Mr HEWETT said he did not understand objection there could be to covering a grave with chunam, On general interfere as little as pis Custom in the matter of
cautions.
aples we shou Chine
s unless that