408
Mayor of London's downwards. The "taste and refinement
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS ANDI
views of this Board. I think these views can be obtained batter when a committee has gone into, and reported on the matter.
[December 28, 1907.
authority may, without enforcing such require- ments on sach owner of them depends entirely
or occupier, with his consent cleanse and disinfect such house or part thereof and articles, and defray the expenses thereof."
18
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK seconded the motion. Hon. Mr. HEW&TT- With regard to the
unreasonable that Mr. Hooper's motion should be accepted. Personally I am entirely in favour of the regulations.
on the point of view, and anyway, the Chi- nese cannot claim a monopoly of that sort of show. We have seen in various parts of regulations I am entirely in favour with them, Europe just the same thing, including the but I beg to remind you of the letter from the tawdriness and even the alleged "idols." Colonial Secretary which is to the effect that The very May-day show of the children in the regulations were forwarded for the observa- some English counties is equally idolatrous;tions of the Board; therefore I think it is not the May-pale itself an idolatrous survival, Din and noise is a universal accompaniment of public rejoicing, and the Chinese might conceivably mislike the English burrah or its "jolly good fe-hel- low" chorus as we their cymbals. Even "the hope that in some way the gods will show favour" is not peculiarly Chinese; the consecration ceremonials and surpliced processions elsewhere having precisely the same significance. The "less informed " and
"ignorant" sections of the Chinese have their foreign duplicates, who believe that "happy is the bride the sun shines on," et ceteræ. As to the "lurking dread" of further trouble to ensue, the ignorant Chinese should not really be sneered at, when
we
have educated foreigners pro- claiming from public pulpits that such grim events as the holocaust at the Paris bazaar, the San Francisco earthquake, and great epidemics, were ordained scourge, and warnings to humanity. We have yet to learn that the Chinese carnival at Hongkong has left a single echo of anything regret- table, and it is as unreasonable to grumble about it as it is to sneer at Chinese super- stitions. Until for even their beliefs of reverence in us dwell," we are not truly reverent; and it is distinctly tiresome to find our most superstitious of foreigners carping at Oriental superstitions. Will the pot never awake to the silliness of calling
the kettle black?
more
Mr. HOOPER-I don't say that I am not. The PRESIDENT—It occurred to me, seeing that the regulations were short and concise and that they had been in he hands of members for about a month, the members had mide up their minds. Perhaps if they were recirculated it would be sufficient.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK-We have forg. tten all about them now.
Mr. HOOPER-When you say ia circulation for a month, you are quite right. They come to me a month ago, and on reading them through, I saw Bome debateable matter which appeared to me should be discussed.
The 'RESIDENT-Then let us proceed with th-m now.
before the Board.
Mr. HOOPER-There is a distinct motion
Hou. Mr. HEWETT-I will move 88 an amendment that the Secretary read the re- gulations now, It will be open for the Board to do what they think after discussion.
The PRESIDENT seconded the amendment, which on being put to the vote was lost.
The motion
as then put and carried,
The President, Mr. Hooper and Mr. Laa
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With the amendment of this byslaw to enable the Chinese to do the cleansing themselves it in hoped that they may view the sanitary measures with less repaguance and that it m1y induce them to give the Board their co-operation. Such amendment would be more in accord with the law of England.
It
Byelaws for mitigation of epidemic diseases, &o. (p. 122). Byelaw 1. I am of opinion that the words "(even when soy such disease is not knowa to exist in the Colony," in the 2nd sod 3rd lines should be struck out altogether. This byelaw is most drastic and arbitrary and has to be enforced with the greatest discretion. should only be enforced in the district where lague or other infectious diseases are prevalent in epidemio form, and even thea dae notice should be given both in English sol Chinese in the Government Gazette and the local journals before it is put in force.
"
In paragraph 2 of the same byelaws the term "officer of the Sanitary Department" appears to me to be too vague and should be clearly defined. The power of entering houses without no ice should not be vested in t. e subordinatė officers. 5 a.m. and 6 p.m." should be altered to "8.m. and
p.m." As the byelaw standa
at present, i is moreover inconsistent with section 21 of the Ordinances as well as byelaw 3 for entry and inspection of Buildings (page | 106).
Com- Paragraph 3.Of the same byelaw. pensation should be given unconditionally in every case where property has been damaged or
Chu-pa were then appointed a committee to destroyed. Byelaw 3 I would delete the words
consider the question,
VEGETABLE MARKET AT YAUMATI.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY wrote, in con- nection with the site for the vegetable market at Yaumati: — I am directed to state that it is
proposed to proceed forwith with the prepara- tion of the site for a vegetible market at Yau- mati. The Registrar-General states that an area of 16 ft. by 30 ft. will be sufficient in the first instance, and this area will accordingly be concretea aud drained, and a water supply will HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD, be provided as suggested by the Board. The
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on Leo. 24th at the Board Room, The Hon. Dr. J. M. Atkinson (president) presided, and there were also present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham (Vice-President), Dr. F. Clark, (Medical Officer of Health), Dr. H. Macfarlane (Assistant Medical Officer of Health), Captain Lyons (Captain Superintendent of Police), Hon. Mr. E. A. Howatt, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. Lau Chu-pak, ar. Fung Wa-chun and Mr. G. A. Woodocok, secretary.
A WATERWORKS REGULATION.
The letter from the Government forwarding a copy of the proposed additional regulation ander the Waterworks Ordinance, 1903, which was laid before the Board at the last meeting, again came on for consideration.
The VICE-PRESIDENT-With regard to the proposal, Sir, that this regulation should apply to rider main districts, I may mention that the ide was that tanks were only r quired in these districts. Where there is a constant supply of water there is no necessity for tanks.
It was therefore intended that they should apply to rider main districts more particularly.
Mr. HOOPER-I move that the matter be referred to a committee of this Board. It is absolutely impossible to discuss all the details of the regulations now.
The PRESIDENT -There are only six regula. tions.
Mr. HOOPER-It is nearly six weeks ago since I saw the minutes, but I saw some cou- troversial subjects in them, and think it would be better that they should be dealt with by a committee, who could report to the Board.
The PRESIDENT-These are regulatious mad, by the Governor-in-Council, and they simply ask the Board if they have any amendments to propose.
Mr. HOOPER-Quite so. I know we have really no locus standi at all, but I believe the Governor-in-Council thought it advisable, before adopting the regulations, to obtain the
i
area will be increased to 150 ft.by 60ft. when it is considered necessary, and it is proposed even. tually to roof over the whole site.
The letter was laid on the table.
INFECTED PERSONS AND INFECTED
PREISES.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK submitted the following suggestions, for the consideration of the Board, on the amendment of the existing Public Health Ordinance and the byelaws made thereunder in respect of the removal of infected persons, dis- infection of infected premises, &c.
*
Section 87 of the Ordinance. in the 3.d and 4th lines, the words or is lodged in a domestic building occupied by more toan one family should be deleted to admit of persons suffering from plage or other infectious diseases being treated in their own houses, Wuere a floor is occupied by one family only and where the relatives of the patient are prepared to vacate tha for for the sake of the patient, permission should be given for him to be treated on his own floor.
Section 83. In the 2nd line of this section, I would insert the word "knowingly' betwe-n the words, "shall enter," as a patient might enter a public vehicle without knowing that he was suffering from any infectious disease,
►
Byelaws for Disinf‐etion of infected premises | (p.95). B elaw 2. For this, I would substitute section 120 of the Public Health Act 1875, which reads as follows:-" Where say local authority are of opinion.
that the cleansing and disinfecting of say house or part thereof, and of any articles therein likely to retain infection, would tend to prevent or check infections disease, it shall be the day of such authority to give notice in writing to the owner or occupier of such house or part thereof requiring him to cleause and disinfect such hou e or part thereof and articles within a time specified in such notice. the owner or occupier of any such house or part thereof is from poverty or otherwise unable, in the opinion of the local authority, effectually to carry out the requirements of this section, such
Where
❘
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[4
and use them" in the last paragraph and add the following in their stead or make such other arrangements as the Board may deem neces- sary.' With the proposed amendment the Board would not be so handicapped, as it may find it more convenient to put up the canvas tents for the accommodation of the persons so removed, &o.
k
Byelaws for removal of patients (p. 124). Byelaw 3 In the 4th line after the words 13 properly lodged "add the following line" and there is no other alternative to admit of the person being safely treated in his own house," o enlist the sympathy and co-operation of the Chinese every facility should be given to them for treating their sick at home.
The plagus procedure drawn up some years ago by a Committee of the Board should be so modified as to make it consistent with the proposed amendments and also to legalize all the arrangements since m.de for working the Chinese public dispensaries and district hos- pitsla between the M.O.H. and the Committee of those institutions.
The MDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH replied as follows:-
(1) I am strongly of opinion that Chinese tenement houses are most unsuitable for the treatment of ciss of plague and I do not coa- sider it would be safe to allow them to be so treated if only the floor on which the case occurs is to be vacated by the other occupants. [ alvise that cases be only allowed to be treated in their own houses when the entire premises are in one occupation so that the patient can be properly isolat :d.
(2) I think this is a question for the disore- tion of the Magistrate. It is almost always impжble to prove that a pers in knows he is suffering from an infectious disease, though there may be very strong grounds for believing that he must have known. As a matter of fact, it is seldom indeed that the sick person is prosecuted for this offence, I do not remember a single instance of such a prosecution.
(3) It would be a farce to leave the disinfeo- tion of infected premises to the Chinese coolie Lenaut, and for the sanitary board to order such person to disinfest his house at his own expense would simply lead to the premises being abandoued and the infected "artioles carried" away to infect some other premises.
(4) The adoption of this suggestion would as once abolish systematic house to house cleansing which now goes on throughout the year with very little inconvenience to the tenants as they
are allowed to do the work themselves and are
merely supervised by the inspector and supp Hed
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