56
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
REPORTING DISEASES.
WIS
Were
the
(July 28, 1900.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held July 24th at the Bard Room. The Hou. Dr. F. Clark (president) presided, and there were als present-Dr. Pourse, M.O.H., Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewia, Dr. Macfarlane, Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, Mr. F. J. Badeley, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. H. Humphreys. Mr. Fuog Wa-chun, Mr. Lau Chu-pak, aud Mr. G. A. Woodcock (seor»tary).
whom there should never have been any
believe not 80 often as to constitute a proceeding that was not determined and
"constant crying down of the health of the decisive. We have often referred to the
(Daily Press, 27th July.)
Colony "—which were prompted, as His anomalies of Shanghai to the Municipal Hidden away in a corner of the London EXCELLENCY generously admitted, by a Council, which is like a watch-dog Times we noticed a paragraph to the follow- laudable desire to instigate further sanitary muzzled and tied with too short a chain;ing effect, "The GOVERNOR of Hongkong precautions; and it may be that some of to the Consular Body, on which the telegraphs that 57 cases of bubonic plague these sayings have been a little too strong. shrimp and the lion appear to have an were reported last week and 45 deaths from ||We are apt to forget that the Sanitary equal voire in all plans of campaign, except the disease occurred". This reminded us of Board can no more be expectel to eradicate that the shrimp cries more shrilly. and some remarks made by HIS EXCELLENCY,disease than the Police can be expected to the lion seems too polite to argue; and at the opening of the Ho Miu Ling Hospital | extirpate crime. Discase and crime con- to the presumably more Imperial consider. last week. They did not altogether please ||tinue, and the organisations to combat them ations which prompt the Diplomatic Body us at the time, because we foresaw that must be kept up. But if we say that the at Peking to veto local arrangements in the they would be misunderstood, and leud Sanitary Board and the Police have similar most surprising way sometimes. The value colour to a stupid objection that was raised faults--if we point out that the Sanitary, of the Consular Body at Shanghai may be some time ago, hy ʼn journal now defunct, ||Board dawdles around miking too muy partly gauged by the fact that it always to the mere publication of the usual plague minutes about patent ashbins, while the accepts as its leader the consul of longest statistics. This was not what His Police waste time harrying curio sellers residence, so that if the PRINCE OF MONACO EXCELLENCY had in mind, of course; and who commit technical breaches of the Arms or the EMPEROR OF THE SAHARA had the necessity of making such records is Ordinance, or coolies who play fantan with happened to establish a consulate there, admitted by the act of the Government matches-if we have to mike such obvious- any new British consul (although represent which regularly telegraphs these figures to ly necessary remarks at times, we cannot ing the great majority of property and the Home country. It is always sufficient, avoid causing wrong impressions some- residents) would find himself subordinate | however, in small communities, for some where, for which we cannot repudiate all in many material ways to the consular semi-original mind to make a criticism - responsibility. So much depends upon the representative of such a petty Power. The then dozens of human parrots take up the way these things are said. If, however,
j result is that bad Chinese officials there cry, 80 effectual is the phrase on dit with a the simple publication of statistics, even have found it easier to defy those who not uncommon type of intellect. We have comparative statistics, is to be misunder- should have been euforcing, independently known a case where, at a fashionable {sto, the blame must rest upon those who if necessary, the rights of their constituents. watering-place, at the beginning of tue |mism herstand them. Otherwise, none of The poiut appears to be in the words "if tourist season, a local newspaper
thsguificant facts of life would ever be necessary", and we do not doubt that the viciously attacked for merely quoting a published at all. Timea correspondent would be with us in statement from the report of the M.O.H. declaring that events for a long time past that there had been ons rise of diphtheri have shown that our dependent position Urban Conucillors, some of whom bas been as injurious as it has been interested in hoarding houses and hotels, humiliating. But what is to be expected | took up the tale, and while making things of a Government which grants knighthood | warm for the offending journalist, defeated to a mere party election agent, and over-
their Own purpose. Auuoyed at looks the services of patriots who have been undeserved persecution, the newspaper grizzling on the frontiers of empire: This proprietor, who fortuna ely did not was the view of a member of the local depend upon its profits, went into the brauch of the. China Association, who matter more fully, dragged previous ssimistically decided that the meeting records to light and made the int rest. to discuss the West River piracy was ing discovery that official records of waste of time. This is an attitude into epidemics had formerly and frequently been which it is a great tempation to fall, but the deliberately suppressed, because they might chief officers of the Association consider it have the feet of deterring people from better to keep "pegging". This the news visiting" the place. Hongkong is not a papers must also do, even though on such fashionable tourist resort, but even if it matters they will inevitably find it necessary were, we feel quite sure that His to repent themselves over and over again. EXCELLENCY would not countenance any Yet it is distinctly disheartening to find a suppression of the truth in order to entice man like Sir ERNEST SATOW going home unsuspecting visitors to expose themselves with a story like the one he told a Central to risk of infection. The point of view of News correspondent, that China is hotel keepers and others who cater for attempting to adopt Western methods globe-trotters is as easily understood as it and to act on Western civilised lines. is natural, but there can be no two opinions as to the correct moral attitudė to fake, The visitor might be cared for and protected in such a manner us to reduce his or her risk to an almost insignificant minimum, but even then he or she has a right to be frankly told that there is a risk, however small. This applies chiefly to the places favoured by tourists, and it is not quite so easy to realise what the GOVERNOR referred to when he said " the constant crying down of the health of the Colony has to a certain extent the effect of deterring people from visiting us, which is a bad effect" It will be obvious to the order of intelligences Mr. HUMPHREYS--Dɔ I understand that the previously referred to that the “ constant Government will not grant any compensation crying down of the health of the Colony in cases where no notices have been given? must mean the constant or regular publica-amounts to. The Ordinance is to be carried out The PRESIDENT-TLatis what the ius:raction tion of plague statistics as issued by the P.C.M.O.H., and we hope they will now take note of the fact that HIS EXCELLENCY could not have meant that, seeing that the sine figures are as constantly telegraphed to England, where, it was
cumplained, "Hongkong still retains its old reputation of being a very unhealthy place "We will readily admit that its reputation is worse than it deserves, but that is far from being
ik
and that "if we wish to be consistent we
cannot deny her our sympathy and help". The truth is that China (meaning China's present typical officials) is attempting to attain Western advantages by Chinese methods, and is all along acting on the lines, of her own hereditary philosophy; and sympathy and help would be thrown away. In cases like those of Tautai Yoas of Shanghai (the official removed for conniving with the rioters and since promoted) and of Viceroy SHUM (80 preoccupied feathering his own nest that he has neither time or means to deal with the lawlessness over- running his province) to talk of sympathy and help is a bitter mockery. What is, wanted is the enforcement of satisiactory settlements, as Dr. MORRISON has said, independently if necessary.
Cricketers will be wondering when the shield and medals are to be presented to the premier local cricket club. The presentation has taken place. The shield has been handed over to Dr. Swan, president of the Kowloon Club, who at the Club the other evening presented the medals to the players. The meeting was an informal one, but before taking their departure therefrom members charged their glasses and drank to the success of the Club in the years to come.
་
a certidcate that it is au ideal health resort. There have been things said-though, we
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4.
EXPLOITING THE LANDLORD." The reply from the Government relative to compensation for damage done during the cleansing and disinfecting of premises stated that the Government will in accordance with the provision of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance of 1903 give reasonabl compensation for property destroyed or damag d by cleaning and disinfection where the case of infection has been duly reported. They have uo authority and do not intend to go beyond this provision."
Mr. SHELTON HOOPER minuted-This re- quires further discussion.
Mr. HUMPHREYS-Although saction 89 of the ordinance allows the Government a loophole to escape paying compensation when cases of infect'o i have not been duly reported, it does Cot follow that it is equitable for the Govern- helpless in the matter, so why should he be the ment to take advantage of it. The landlord is sufferer? The Government is bound to lose in the long run over the policy of exploiting the landlord for all he is worth.
The Ho
Registrar-GENERAL--Thers seems no provision for compensating landlords. The PRESIDENT explained that it was open to the Board to make the house where processes of disinfection hal been carried out prosentable again.
Mr. HOOPER said if that were carriel out he
would be quite satisfied.
as it stands.
Mr. HUMPHREYS-I think it is very hard on the landlord, who is absolutely helpless if the tenant does not report the caSE,
The PRESIDENT thought the question raised by Mr. Hooper might be met. He would look
into it.
On this understanding, the subject was not pursued.
ISSANITARY VILLAGES,
With referene, to the report of the Medical Officer of Health, relative to the condition of the villages of Tai Hang and Wong Nei