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August 8, 1908.]
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on August 4th at the Board Boom. Mr. C. Mol. Messer (president), presided, and there were also present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham,(Vice-President), Hou. Mr. E. A. Irving, Messrs. A. Shelton Hooper, H. A. W. Slade, Fung Wa Chun, Dr. Pearse, (Medical Officer of Health), and the following ofpoials Dr. Macfarlane, (Assistant Medical Qfloor of Health), and A. Gibson (Secretary).
THE TYPHOON,
The PRESIDENT mentioned that in districts Nos. 1 to 5, where most of the damage was done by the typhoon, 829 loads of refuse were re- moved, and as the average in ordinary circum- stances would have been 168, that showed that about six times as much work as usual had to be done in the few days after the typhoon, On the day of the typhoon the contractors were anable to supply junks, but on the day follow. ing the full number was at work. In districts Nos, 6 to 8, 18 extra junk loads of refuse had been removed. In no dust-bin during a period of 24 hours was the same rubbish allowed to remain.
Mr, HOOPEE-That is very satisfactory.
PLAGUE PATIENTS AT CANTON,
Correspondence relative to the treatment of plague patients at the Fong Pin Hospital, Can. ton, was submitted. Articles have appeared in the local press on the subject of the remarkably high percentage of recoveries of plague patients at this hospital, and the Board, having had its attention drawn to the subject, requested that inquiries be made through the Government as to the correctness of the statements. Accordingly the Hongkong Government approached the Acting British Consul at Cantos, who now forwarded letters from two medical gentlemen in Canton whom he had asked to report. Dr. SwAD, the medical superintendent of the American Hospital, reported that he had made visits to the hospital in question, and expressed the opinion that there was little of fresh interest to report, Dr. Davenport, medical officer to the Consulate General, said that in his opinion the explanation of the discrepancy between the percentage of oures in Hongkong and Canton hospitals was to be found in the fact that a num. ber of cases trested at the Canton Hospital were incorrectly diagnosed, and that the patients were not suffering from plague at all. During the prevalence of the epidemic in Hongkong a Chinaman contracting malaria or other fevers which are accompanied by high temperature and swelling of the glands, jumps to the con- clusion that he has got the plague. He at once takes ship for Canton, where he is met on arrival by the agents of the Fong Pin Hospital by whom he is conveyed to that institution. After a few days it is probably found that the man is not suffering from bubonic plague, and he is dismissed, the case, doubtless, being entered in the hospital register as a cure.
PLAGUE PREVENTION.
Correspondence was submitted relative to the removal of ceilings on stair linings from houses in districts liable to plague infection.
Mr. HUMPHREYS Wrote that this was a postly scheme and asked if this was the time to enforce new taxation on the Colony.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK expressed the opinion that Chinese shopkeepers would object to the removal of the ceilings. In many cases they were put up by the tenants and not by the owners. He pointed out that it was desirable to avoid friction and hardship, and suggested that before the Board made any recommen- dation to the Government a committee should be appointed to go into the whole question thoroughly.
The PRESIDENT remarked that most of the members desired the appointment of a com- mittee.
A committee consisting of the President, the Registrar-General, Mr. Humphreys and Mr. Lau Chu-pak were appointed.
▲ VALUABLE BOOK.
A copy of "Etiology and Epidemiology of Plague," which is a summary of the work of the plague commission in India, was circulated, Mr. SHELTON HOOPER minuted-This book will be very useful.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK-I suggest that such a useful work should be translated into Chinese,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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and given to the lecturers of the Tang Wa Branch Hospitals for their guidance lecturing.
The PRESIDENT stated that he had bought 50 of those books for distribution and he thought a translation would be rather a large work. He thought it might be as well to see what the Government were prepared to do.
Mr. HOOPER thought a prépis of the book world do for the Chin-se.
His suggestion was agreed to
MARKET AT ABERDEEN,
Correspondence relative to the construction of a market at Aberdeen was submitted.
Mr. HOOPER thought a market should be constructed.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK agreed,
It was agreed that the Government should be requested to put the construction of the building in band.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
The death rate in the British and Foreign community for the week ending 18th July was 198 per thousand of the population as compared with 240 in the corresponding week of last year, and the death rate for the whole Colony was 34'1 per 1,000 as compared with 240 for the corresponding week of last year.
MARRIAGE OF MISS C.D. LLOYD.
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SINGING BIRDS IN HONGKONG.
Forestry Department for the year 197, the In his annual report on the Botanical and Superintendent says:-With a view to encourag- ing the increase of singing birds which have been so obarming a feature of the Botanic Gardens and surrounding portions of Hongkong of recent years the Government consulted Mr. Kershaw of Macao, whose works on local natural history are well known, as to the desirability of keeping down the numbers of (a) Magpier, (b) Bromley Kites, (c) Civet cats in the Island, and secondly of the possibility of importing more singing birds. He replied as follows:-
"(A.) Magpies are no doubt too numerous here, and destroy eggs and nestlings, though they do a certain amount of good by scavenging. Would suggest shooting, not poison. Des February to May (a few begin laying in troying Magpies' eggs and fledglings from
of course there will be some amount of immi- January) includve would be effective, though
gration from the mainland,
(B.) This Kite (Milvus melanotes), called Bromley Kite" in Hongkong, rarely if ever kills adult birds and probably very seldom destroys nestlings. Their ordinary food is snakes, lizards, rats and mice (I have often taken freshly killed rats from stomachs of these kites), dead fish and other offal. Small birds take no notice of a kite settling on the tree they are in, like stones to the undergrowth. The kite here but if a hawk comes anywhere near they drop
is decidedly usefal,
A London suburban paper just to hand con- tains a long report of the marriage of Miss Catherine Dorothy Lloyd (daughter of Captain C. V. Lloyd of Hongkong and Mrs. Lloyd of 29, Prince of Wales Mansions, Battersea
(C.) It seems a pity to exterminate an in- Park, S. W.) to the Rev. Beaudon Edward digenous mammal like the Civet. In a small Shewell, vioar of St. Saviour's Church, island like Hongkong, this would soon be done Battersea Park Road, London, S.W., than if a reward was offered for the caroase. They whom, says the rep.rt, for clergymen are
destroy some birds, no doubt, but chiefly feed more respected and beloved. The oburch, (as observed in comment) on rate, mice and it is stated, never beld a larger or
other small mammals. If they are destroyed, picturesque congregation, and great crowd of poaching domestic cats should certainly be the vicar's parishioners gathered in the street to killed, as they are worse than any other animal witness the arrival of the wedding party. Mrs.
as regards destruction of small birds and game Lloyd, who was escorted by her cousin, Sirabicks; and nearly all cats in houses on outskirts Edward Raban, gave the bride away and of wood are poachers. But in any case I would the bridesmaids were Misses Ethel and Margery. deprecate the use of poison. Lloyd (sisters of the bride), Eileen Lloyd (consin), Dora Shewell (sister of the bride- groom), Beatrios Lutyens and Miss Spankie. The Rev. Martin Shewell, brother of the bridegroom, was best man. Three clergy- men assisted in the service which was fully choral and included a short address. The honeymoon was spent in Switzerland. More than a column of the newspaper from which we have extracted these particulars is occupied by the list of presents received.
PROMENADE CONCERT.
The Volunteer Corps' Promenade Concert originally arranged for the 18th ult., but postponed for a fortnight on account of the death of Lieut. Blood was held on August 1st at the Volunteer parade ground and wAS greatly appreciated. The evening was delight fully cool, and the grounds, illuminated with Chinese lanterns, presented a pleasing aspect, which was considerably enhanced by the taste. fully decorated miniature stage surrounded with greenery interspersed with coloured electric lights and set off with a canopy of fags,
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The Band of the 3rd Middlesex Regiment played some selections comprising "the Gladiator" (Sous) "Haddon Hall" (Sullivan), items from "Miss Hook of Holland" and completed the entertainment with "Mumble Mose's Two-Step." Voos! items were given by Mrs. Dealy, Messrs. Ayri and P. W. Goldring and Surgeon Captain Forsyth and Lieat. Grogse who respectively sang The Mission of a Rose' "When Songs have passed away," "Simon the Cellarer,"The Trumpeter" and "Imitations". Capt. Mitchell Taylor's name appeared on the programme but he was unavoidably absent through indisposition, and Mr. L. Hutcheson filled the breach by giving several acceptable recitations. During the interval the pipers of HK. 8. B. R. G. A. made the grounds resound with the skir of the bag pipes, their performance being warmly applauded.
No doubt the "Hwamei" (Trochslopterum oanorum) is increasing in Hongkong, as his singing is most noticeable. This bird commands a good price with Chinese as a cagebird, and its increase might perhaps be best maintained by stopping the taking of the nestlings."
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With reference to singing birds he wrote:- Singing birds from South and West Chins and from India should do well in Hongkong. I have no books on Indian birds by me, but you may have Oates', Blandford's or Jerdon's in the Club Library. At Hongkong I think Indian birds could be got from Calcutta, but expect it would be troublesome to get Chinese birds, unless the birdshop people in Hongkong would import them. The "Hwamei" is native here, and as long as it has enough undergrowth (for it is very shy and seldom seen when singing loudly quite close to one) and the nests are not taken, it should increase. It sings delightfully and practically all the year round, but you probably know it well as a cagebird with Chinese. Also the little black and white Copsychus aularis or Magpie-Robin, Peking-Robin or China Robin, as it is variously termed. In the spring it sings beautifully and is common and native; also useful in keeping down grasshoppers, snails, eto, as also is the Hwamei. Most of the other birds here do not shine a songsters, though the Whistling Thrush (Myrophoneus) sings sweetly in breeding season. Many Flycatchers stay a short time in Hongkong on migration in spring and autumn, which sing well, but they are silent dur ng their stay here.
As you know, there are several very beautiful birds native to Hongkong which ought to be preserved for beauty alone, in fact in my humble opinion there are no birds in Hongkong at present which might not be encouraged, except Magpies. Even the Sparrow is very useful when there is an afternoon or evening swarm of
winged Termites.
There is a pative Lack here which singu
nicely soaring much like the English Skylark, bat I doubt if you have any large grassy-plain on Hongkong Laland. No doubt it posure in Kowloon, or sɔuld be established there, "
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