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be learnt that any part of this cemetery has ever been consecrated, and is apparently avail. able for the interment of any body irrespective of what their faith or religiou may have been,
Portions of the cemetery have been reserved for the interment of Naval and Military and old residents.
THE HONGKON} WEEKLY PRESS AND
There is no fixed rule as to what constitutes an old resident, but by custom it has generally been understood to mean 20 years' residence in the Colony. Formerly, to bury in this section required permission of the Director of Public Works, but now the Medical Officer of Health is the officer to give such per mit, bat no authority can be found for the change, and the distinction is not rigidly carried ont, exceptions having been made, fee for each grave space of 12 superficial feet for private individuals is now $15, and we recom. mend that this be reduced to 810.
the
Grave digging $1. Exhumation of corpse $5. Officers, non-commissioned officers and privates in the British Army, or Hongkong Volunteers and their families, officers and warrant officers and sailors in the British Navy and their families, and Colonial Government officers and their families are only charged 75 cente as against $15 for private residents.
We consider this distinction need no longer be made, and that the fees should be the same as for private residen's
For p-rmit to erect monuments over twelve feet superficial ou private individual graves pay $2 & foot for each excess foot of same; but, in C8808 of monuments over Government officers and their families' graves, un excess charge be made up to 24 superficial feet. These areas should be made to coincide by increasing the 12 feet to 24 fast.
The following are the number of grave
spaces taken from 1st January, 1906, to 17th December, 1906; 120. $15+$1, 62; $5+81, 25; $1,00, 2; 75cts.. 24; free, 7. Under the existing scale the fees paid amount to $1,100; under the proposed scale the fees would amount to $1,084.
The PRESIDENT-As far as I can see from studying the Ordinance, the sections dealing with cemeteries are 90, 91 and 92. Then there are certain by-laws that come under the purview of the B. ard. but these apply only to Chinese cemeteries. I don't think the Board has any power under these bye laws to interfere with other cemeteries.
HON, MR. HEWETT-Wouldn't it be better to find out if we bare that power?
The SECRETARY pointed out that they had at page 15, sub-section 29 which applied to all cemeteries.
The PRESIDENT―This matter CIMA пр before the Board on November 7th when it was agreed to appoint a sub-committee to consider and report on the question of fees of cemeteries, That committee consisted of Messrs. Hooper and Lau Chu-pak and r. Clark.
Members agreed that its report should be recirculated.
PROPOSED SEPARATION OF DAIRIES.
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dairies in their vicinity, and that being done the Government might withhold the sale or lease of land in the neighbourhood for dairying purposes.
Mr. HOOPER-I sympathise with the angges.
tion, but I don't see how it can be carried out.
The PRESIDENT-This is an application from the Dairy Farm which I think all of you have
geen.
Hon. Mr. HɛWETT--It has not been sent to me. Sir.
The PRESIDENT -Then I will read it (reads). Hon. Mr. HEWETT--Has the Dairy Farm made the proposal that they should move away from the neighbouring dairies, or that the neighbouring dairies should more away from them?
The PRESIDENT That the neighbouring dairies should move awAY.
Hon. Mr. HawerT—I don't think that is s thing we could recommend.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL—I think it would be possible in licensing new dairies to take this into consideration, and adrise accordingly in future.
The Dairy Farm Company are to be informed that their suggestion is hardly practicable.
THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE.
The following letter dated 17th December was submitted from Mr. Lau Chu-pak rel tiva to sections 175, 153 and 154 of the Public Health and Ruildings Ordinance 1943.
The Secretary Sanitary Board, Sir-In rference to the compulsory provision of open spices in the existing buildings. I have the
nour to draw the attention of the Board to the great hardship and loss of money inflicted thereby on the owners and the danger caused to
old houses.
m120y
Under the previous ordinance (13 of 1901) all the corner houses, shallow houses and those hiring lanes at the back, private or public, were exempted from pro iding yards which are mere shafts adapted for the reception of household refuse as priated out by the Medical Officer of Health. But nuder section 175 of the present Ordinance, though the back lanes give more open spaces than the w aims at obtaining, and afford a free current of air constantly cirenlating in the house, and ara far better than yards, they are not counted as open space, and the owners are required to ent away half of the kitchens to comply with the law.
For some time this section has been enforced with discretion and consideration, and where exemption was advisable it was recommended by the Board and granted; but recently it has ben very indiscriminately and strictly enforced, so much so that these applications for exemption take up nearly the whole of the Board's time
its fortnightly meating'. Af the last meeting of the Board, when several of these applications were discussed, it was held that exemption was unt permissible, as sub-section 4 of section 175 only provides for molification and modification does not include total exemption.
Practically it amounts to this: as long as some open spare is provided, no matter if it be The following letter from the Dairy Farmaly one foot wide, the Board granta exemption Company, Ltd., was read:
"The Secretary, Sanitary Board. Dear Sir, I am instructed by my directors to bring to the
notice of your Board the desirability of separating 88 far
Yarious dairies possible the Colony and to ask if your Board can see its way to suggest legislation on the subject,
8.8
ia the
My directors are of opinion that such separa- tion would tend to lessen to a great extent the danger of disease spreading through the inter. mingling of Chiness employees, which, in spite of all precautions, cannot be altogether stopped
In the general interests of the Colony it is obviously advantageous to keep herds of cattle as far away from one another as possible, so that in the event of an outbreak of disease in any one locality the cattle in others would be less liable to attack, thus minimising the danger of a curtailment of the Colony's milk supply I am, yours faithfully, S. A. SETH,
Secretary." COLONIAL VETEBINARY SURGEON | minuted that the suggestion if carried out would diminish risk, but it did not seem possible for the Government to interfare directly as gested. The Company however might take matters in their own hands and bay out the
The
Aug-
cause it is a modification, but in the case of a where it is structurally impossible to 180, provide an open space, 8.g., a triangular corner house, or where it is nonecessary to do so, e.£.. a corner house with three sides well lighted and ventilated, a house opening into a private lane at the back, or a house having a wide street both in front and at the back, the Board has no power. Cau anyons imagine a greater absurdity than this?
I think members are aware that t is absurdity causes a great lo-s of money to property owners and sacrifice of valuable land, as the compulsory provision of such open spaces would entail an expenditure of at least four or five hundred dollars a house, for structural alterations,
reduction of rent amounting 017 15 per cent after the alterations have been carried out, and a total loss of rent during the time taken for such alterations.
to 10
I am sure it was never the intention of those who drafted the present ordinace, that modification should stop short of exemption, And I recommend for the saruest consideration of the Board, that, pending the investigations of the working of this Ordinance by the Commission, the Board should recommend the Building Authority not so take any action under section 175, in view of possible amendments.
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(January 12, 1907.
With reference to sections 153 and 154 I beg also to suggest that no further action be taken in connection therewith. pending the recommendations of the Commission. understand that up to date already above 20,000 cubicles, costing, on an average, $5 each, have been removed, and if, in view of the recommendations of the Commission, the ordinance is amended to allow of the retention of cubicles, this money amounting to $100,000 and more. as the enforcement of the law is pushed on, will have been wasted.
The Medical Officer of Health in a minute wrote that it was not in the discretion of the Board to do as suggested by Mr. Lan Chu-pak, nor did he think it would be wise to suspend all action under section 175.
The PRESIDENT- With reference to this letter I think it would be preferable for the Board to appoint a committee to consider such applications which practically take up half the business of the Board at every mesting. I move that a
committee be appointed to consider applications made under sections 175 and 180 which are recommended for approval by the executive officers of the Board, and that the committee be empowered to deal with them.
Hoo. Mr. HEWETT-Have we power to de- legate such powers to a sub-committee, Sir !
The PRESIDENT-Yes; under section 15 which reads:-"The Board may by resolutions from time to time delegate any of its powers and fuuctions to the Medical Officer of Health, etc." Mr. FUNG WA-CHUN-I think the recom- merdation of my colleague is very reasonable, He does not ask us to wait very long, for the Commission will be soon finished.
The PRESIDENT. Bat it may be six months before the Government comes to a decision on the matter.
OB
Mr. FuNG WA-CHUN - The sections meu. tioned certainly inflict great hardship landowners and Chinese residents, and indirectly affect the revenue and prosperity of the Colony. It is a very serious question, and I don't think any harm can come by waiting one or two months.
The PRESIDENT-Definitely the law is laid down, and it is our duty to see it complied with. After the Commission has seat in its report it will probably take six months before a decision is arrived at by the Government, and in the meantime the Medical Officer of Health does not think it wise to suspend all action.
The Hon Mr. HEWETT said he was sorry to find himself in disagreement with his two Chinese colleagues. The report of the Com. mission would be ready shortly and would be presented to the Governor. No doubt it would take His Excellency some time before he took any action on the report, that was if he took any action at all. That being so, Mr. Lau Chu-pak's application practically amounted to the Board suspending the working of two or three very important sections in the ordinance for about six months. He did not think that was desirable,
Carried. and be seconded the motion.
SUPREME COURT.
Monday, January 7th.
IN APPELLATE JURISDICTION.
OLD TRADEMARK CASE. The application for leave to appeal arising out of a judgment in the action Leuba v. Ull- continued before their Honours Sir Francis Piggott (Chief Justics) und Mr. A. Wise (Puisne Judge).
mann, Was
Sir Henry Berkeley, K.C., and Mr. H. G. (of Mesars. Wilkinson sad Grist), appeared Caltrop instructed by Mr C. D. Wilkinson
for the appellants, Messrs. Ullmann and Co., and Mr. M. W. Slide, instructed by Mr. John Hastings, represented M. Leuba Frères,
Sir Henry Berkeley resumed his address, and the case was again adjourned.
IN
Thursday, January 10th.
ORIGINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE SIR FRANCIS PIG0ort (CHIEF JUSTICE).
A DISPUTED INSURANCE CLAIM. The Sau Kwong Lee firm, piece gooda dealers, formerly carrying on business at 352 Queen's