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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Hon, Medical OfffoĐ·r of Health and we con- sidered, the subject being so important that we should ascertain the opinions of medical men and civil engineers. Accordingly we sent out circulars to most of the medical men and civil engineers of the colony. We received those views and I am quite prepared to admit that the majority were against the introduc tion of water closets and the reasons given were that the Harbour might become silted up and that roots of trees might destroy the drains which would become insanitary and perhaps spread disease. Notwithstanding this adverse criticism the committee viewing it not only from bygenic point of view but from the larger one of expediency and looking at the precedent which had been created in years gone by with regard to a similar committee appointed for a similar purpose in 1895 or 1896 we came to the conclusion that we were not adverse to the principle of water closets but that every application should come before the Board in the same way that has always been done and be dealt with on its merits. It seems to me that to take away from the Board composed of ten by repute intelligent men -two of them members of the Executive Council, four members of the Legislative Council, four sitting hore ex-officio as holding high offices in the Government, and two Europeans nominated by His Excellency, one of whom is supposed to look after the sanitation of the troops in this Colony, the Principal Medical Officer-it may be thought that these men would not be actuated by any other motives than that of the general good of the Colony in dealing with any applications that came before the Board. Therefore I am sure that we must feel it a slight on the Board that so simple a a matter should be taken away from our con- sideration and what I think perhaps accentuated the feelings we bear is the language used by the hon. Colonial Secretary in the Legislative Council in which be charged this Board with acting in defiance of the medical opinion of this Colony. Now on turning to the time when this committee's report came before the
Board for adoption or otherwise that the hon. Director of Public Works absent but we may take it he sap- ported it as it was his reommendation. Mr.
was
I find
Mr. HOOPER suggested that they might get a return of the deaths from plague in the Canton hospita's which he understood was less than in Hongkong. The Board might get if for what it was worth.
[June 27, 1908.
our
decrease in the number of plague cases during | to slip a leg over its side,-this year high the past three weeks.
canvas sides have been added to the planks, and though possibly the arrangement may be excellent for trained animals, it certainly does not commend itself to the Chios pony. We bad great difficulty in getting ponies to face it, tired though they were after a 26 mile ride. One pony despite our effort refused to enter and a the tide was falling had to be left behind and brought across later in a juuk,
HONGKONG VOLUNTEERS.
The annual report on the Hongkong Volan- teer Corps for the year ending April 1st, 1908, appears in the Gazette. Liet Colonel Chapman writes that on March 31, 1908 the total strength of the Corps was 295 as against 289 the pre- oeding year. During the year 68 members had resigned, 3 on medical certificate, 27 in the Colony and 38 on leaving the Colony. The new members enrolled numbered 74.
The Volunteer Reserve Association had on March 31 last a membership of 219, a decrease of 29 during the past twelve months. Ride practice had been carried on for two days a week throughout the year.
The discipline of the Corps has been very good.
The number of non-efficients who have to pay nos is 12. Four members attended over 100 drills. The highest number 123 was by Corp. A. E. Wright.
I would recommend a plain gangway about 5 to 6 feet in width, with raised edges say about 6 inches in height,
Attendance in Camp.--Owing to absence from the Colony, sickness, and other causes the atten. dance of members was to less than last year.
Our present available strength in the Colony is 24. Of this number, 4 are married men who apparently cannot leave their families at Christmas time, 3 were sick, and 4 were unable
to obtain leave of absence from their work. All remaining members attended Camp..
Work performed.-The march out to Camp (26 miles) was performed with two halts of about one hour each, in 7 hours; the return journey with only one halt taking just 6 hours.
I attach a map (which please return) showing the roads ridden or walked over by members during our Camp.
I would draw attention to one expedition, Musketry is very popular with the majority
which I think was creditable work performed by undoubtedly be still more so if the King's Park of the members of the Corps and would
two sectious each under a N.C.O, working from
Ta-Kok and over the mountain along the frontier Range at Kowloon was available more frequent-pposite directions, i.e., from the Camp to Sha- for their use. During the year 52,089 to the Samchua River, and back to Camp via rounds have been fired by members of the Taku-Lin (Kong Ta Ban. Block House. The Corps and 25.715 rounds have been supplied to
path over the mountain by the frontier is very the Reserve Association.
steep, some 1,500 feet in height, the road being paved and in many places "stepped". The ride, about 24 miles, took 51 hours in the case of the section working from the North, and 6 hours for the section approaching the pass from the Southward.
The Cadet Company has now 22 members. A bugle band is being started and a miniature rifle range close to the Victoria School. said: I am indebted to Major Pritchard for In concluding his report Colonel Chapman
the efficient state in which he left the Corps on his resignation on 1st April, 1907, and am glad to be able to report that this standard of efficiency has been maintained, thanks to the Corps and to the help I have received from my willing co-operation of all members of the
Staff Officer. Corps Sergt. Major W. Higby and Staff Armourer G. W. Arenell have
satisfaction,
VOLUNTEER TROOP.
The report, by Lieut. C. H. Ross, Command ing the Hongkong Volunteer Troop, dated 7th January last, on the camp in the New Territories, is published in the current issue of the Gazette. Lieut. Ross writes Sir, -I have the honour to give you herewith a short report on the Volunteer Troop Camp, which was held from the 21st to the 26th December last.
I think the members, who have attended both the 1906 and 1907 camps, have now a very good knowledge of the frontier portion of the New Territories. The ponies stood the work well, bands, we had no accidents. I have to report and beyond a few falls off bridges and paddy
one case of sore back, and two ponies girth-
remedy of salt and water and were able to carry their owners back to Hongkong without further harm.
A farrier was in attendance, but his services were not required. Last year many of our ponies required re-shoeing or attendance of some kind, this year we covered more ground and theoretically more shoeing work should have been required. I can only ascribe this satisfactory state of affairs to the better weather we enjoyed this year, and consequent drier state of the ground with less suction on the ponies' shoes.
Lau Chu-pak was present, Mr. Humphreys, continued to perform their duties to my entire galled, these were treated with the simple myself and Mr. Slade and Colonel Martio, Principal Military Medical Officer of South China. They all supported it, the Registrar General and yourself voting against it, the Captain Superintendent of Police and Mr. Fung Wa Chun being absent. I say we did not go against the medical opinion of this Colony by the fact that Colonel Martin supported the adoption of the report. I will now ask leave to refer to the report of the Committe appointed by the Sanitary Board to consider the question of the advisability of adopting the system of water closets in the city of Victoria. They adopted a similar course to ours and sent out circulars which contained twenty five ques- tions and I would just briefly refer to the wersans given by several medical men and that of the assistant harbour master. After reading several extracts showing that the writers favoured the introduction water closets, Mr. Hooper continued. I have quoted these opinions to show what in 1895 was the opinion of an important section of the community on this subject. To-day the drainage is in a far better condition than it was then and our water supply very much superior. If you take the water supply of Kowloon, the actual place in question, it is far better and of greater quantity per head than
We
of
have in Victoria. I have made these remarks in order to justify the action which has been taken by this Board and for the information of His Excellency who I am afraid has been ill advised in taking the action he has in depriving us of a portion of our duties given to us entirely by law. I challenge any member of the Government, from His Excellency down- wards, and I ask you to support it, to point out one case in which we have abused these nowers. I do not propose any resolution but I would ask if the press do report it that a oopy may be sent from this Board to the Government.
PLAGUE.
The PRESIDENT remarked that members would be pleased to hear that there was
A
Site. The Camp was pitched on the same site as that selected in 1906, viz., on the Southern shopo of the hills at the North end of the Fanling valley, close to the village of Ho Sheung Heung and about one mile distant from Cheung Shui. The site is an excellent one for a small camp, the ground bbing level and of a dry sandy composition, with a good stream of water alongside flowing direct from the hill top. Weather. The weather was good, some rain fell on the 24th and 25th December, but did not interfere with our work.
Tents. Ten small tents and two E. P. tents were drawn from the Ordnanos Store Depart ment. The E. P. tents were joined together and used as a mess tent. An ample supply of tent-pegs was provided this year, and though we had some strong wind none of the tents were blown down.
Stabling.-A temporary matshed stable was erected for our ponies, it was an improvement on that put up last year.
Transport of ponies across Harbour.-The Army Service Corps being unable to provide a lighter on the 21st December, we transported our ponies to Kowloon by junk. On the return journey an Army Service Corps lighter was provided. I wish again to draw attention to the form of gangway which is provided for the pur- pose of connecting the lighter with the shore, Last year we were given simple planking about | 24 feet wide, which worked wall except that by reason of its narrow width; the ponies were apt
Saddl.ry.-I much regret to report that the leather of most of the bridles and head- s'alls at present in use, has perished.
Practically every bridle had to be repaired while in Camp, and though some of the breaks were no doubt due to careless handling on the part of the members, I think there is no doubt that the condition of these articles is not good. I would recommend that 40 new sets be ordered from India without delay.
I would also ask that a supply of stout straps for fastening blankets and overcoats to saddles be ordered at the same time; these last named articles we have hitherto procured ourselves locally, but they are not a success.
Field Firing-On Christmas morning, the Troop was divided into two sections and field firing was carried on at small figure targets. The shooting was very fair.
Sentry Work-Sentries were placed over the Camp from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Every man present in Camp thus performed from four to six hours sentry-work, during the five days we
were out.
In conclusion I would mention that the Camp was pitched in a most satisfactory manner, two temporary bridges built and some roads made who Bots 88 our by Inspector Hudson, Instructor, and whose services were kindly lent to us by the Sanitary Authorities of Hongkong.
The commissariat was attended to by Ying Kee who carried out his onerous duties to the satisfaction of all who weere present,
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