118
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
at the Central Market be given a travelling allowance of $10 a month and an increase of pay of $20 and that he visit the Western Market twice a day.
9 Mr. Messer has suggested means by which a saving of $3,000 per annum can be effected in the lighting of the Central Market, and a saving of $4,000 per annum can be mudo owing to recent changes in disinfecting methods and the other roductions under 'Other Charges' shewn in Enclosure No. 17 (12) follow if these: recommendations for reduction of staff are three Districts for Kowloon. adopted.
(Bd.)
F. H. MAY.
A. M. THOMSOM,
C. McI. MESSER.
M. STEWART,
MINUTE BY HE. THE GOVERNOR.
The following extract from a minuto by H.E.1 the GOVERNOR was attached :
Please 800 my minute in 2959 '09 attached and see Hansard for 1908, pages 23 and 24. I stated that there would be 27 Inspectors under the new scheme; there appear to be 28 retained The Inspecter doing duty of storekeeper is excess The reasons for retaining the 4 scavenging Inspectors was fully stated by me, The Plague Inspectors as such were abolished and in the current Estimates noue appear under the name.
I was myself anxious to abolish them, but was told that it could not be done at: present. The objection to dividing Victoria into 12 instead of 10 districts were set out in
my speech. The M. O). H. was strongly op. posed to that scheme. It was decided and notified by me that each Inspector would be, solely responsible for his district.
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[August 7, 1909.
1. (1). I have the honour to report for the Indian Plague Commission which was only information of His Excellency the Governor published in 1908, and in which it was finally that the transfer of so much of the work of this decided that disinfection of plague houses Department to the Public Works Deportment could safely be replaced by treatment with by Ordinance 14 of 1908 renders it quite feasible some pulicide. These pulicides are very cheap to carry out His Excellency's proposals of :- when compared with the cost of the ordinary (a) Abolishing the plague inspectors quâ such, disinfectants, and although they were in use in the duties they now perform to be carried out conjunction with disinfectants in this Colony by District Inspectors.
as early as 1906, as shown by the attached (b) Retaining the Districts in the City of papers, yet we would not have been justified in Victoria as they are now, viz., ten, and providing ignoring the advice of the Special Commis- sionor (Professor Simpson), who was sent out from how-home to advise the Government an all matters connected with plague, by omitting all ordinary disinfection and using only pulicides until the Indian Commission. had completed their most elaborate and far-reaching experiments on the subject and had issued their report.
(2), Those arrangements will depend, ever, for their efficiency upon :-
(a) The retention of the four scavenging in spectors-three for the City of Victoria and one for Kowloon-referred to in the earlier part of His Excellency's minute of the 4th instant, for without men for this special work, it would be impossible for even
j Mr. Shelton Hooper minuted :-This should the fifteen inspectors be referred to a Select Committee of the Board proposed by the committee (twelve for Victoria | to report on. and three for Kowloon) to efficiently carry out Mr. HOOPER said he had nothing further to all the duties appertaining to their Districts. add. One could not digest the circulated report in half an hour. He was sure His Excellency would be only too pleased if the Board gave it the fullest consideration.
(b) The provision of at least three Inspectors to replace vacancies duo to absence or leavo, sickness, etc., for otherwise either District must be left unattended or the scavenging work be neglected. With a staff of over twenty men, it is certain that three at least of them! Dr. Fitzwilliams. will always be on leave.
(3). The scavenging work will, in my opinion, never be properly carried out until it is under- taken by the Government directly, instead of
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The matter was referred to a select committee composed of the President, Mr. Hooper and
DRAGON OR SNAKE?
through a contractor, and I believe that such charged before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magis- A Chinese wearing a long silken robe was an arrangement would prove more economical than the present contract system and would tracy on Aug. 3 with larceny, and with returning probably enable the staff to be further reduced, the Court the defendant met a Chinese girl in from banishment. According to the story told I have in my notes on the Medical Depart (4). The scheme I would suggest, therefore,
a restaurant at Shektontsui on Monday night, ment dealt with the question of allowing a would be as follows:--13 District Inspectors
nearly suffocated her with cigarette fumes, margin of staff to replace vacancies due to Victoria 10. Kowloon 3); 3 cattle depot inspec-accompanied her to her place of abode and there absence on leave, It is essential and nuavoid- tors; 1 disinfecting station; 1 cemeteries; 4 sca- able to do this in a self-contained Depart venging inspectors (Victoria 3, Kowloon 1) ment which cannot borrow from other Depart- and 3 inspectors available for replacements. ments.
This inakes a total of 25, or two less than the My own judgment is that the 5 Plague Inspectors might be abolished, the pre-number fixed by His Excellency the Governor sent districts being retained as they are.
when introducing the Bill which subsequently The District Inspector to be responsible (as already became Ordinance 14 of 1908 (Hansard 1908, directed) for his district. The 4 Seavenging page 24). The difference is accounted for by Inspectors (as I said in C. S. O, at the time) to
the abolition of tive plague inspectors qui such whom His Excellency then proposed to retain be re'ained to meet emergencies and form a margin to replace vacancies (leave, sickness or with the addition of three inspectors available death). The Comm ttee recommend a reduction for replacements, as with the abolition of the to 21 from 28. If the 5 Plague Inspectors are
former, it would be impossible to fill up leave abolished and the unauthorised (so far as 1 vacancies from the scavenging staff remember) storekeeper is abolished, the number would be 22. If this post is considered essential and provides full work for a man, it could be retained and one scavenging inspector decreased. The staff would then be :---13 District Inspectors (10, Victoria. 3, Kowloon) at 1st. class; 3 cattle depots (2 Victoria, 1 Kowloon) 2nd class; 1 disinfecting station, 2nd class : storekeeper, 2nd class; 1 cemeteries. 2nd class ; and 3 scavenging (and available for replace-
ments) 2nd class.
Let me have the views of the M. (). H. please. 2. Interpreters. Originally 17. Cominittee advised 15. Reduced to 15. here are now 14 (plus 3 clerks and interpreters to M.O.H.'s). If, since Messrs. Messer and Hutchison concur that 6 can be dispensed with, I concur if the Sanitary Board and M. O. H. concur.
3. I concur re closing Central and retaining E. and W. offices.
4. It was decided to abolish the post of Sani tary Surveyor so soon as present occupant ra- signed or could be provided for elsewhere. I do not remember re Principal Clork.
5. I am glad to hear that these reductions are feasible.
6. This apparently should have been done long ago. Why has the H.S.D. not made the recommendation ?
7. I concur. (One more to be discharged.) 8. The Estimates show 2 overseers and one "Fitter" of Markets. The fitter is at the Western Market). One overseer only to be retained and one fitter. I concur.
9. The possibility of such large economies reflects badly on the previous administration of this Department.
(Sd.) F. D. LUGARĎ,
4.5.09.
REFLY BY THE ). U, I,
The following is the reply of Dr. Francis Clark, Medical Officer of Health, to His Excellency's minute :-
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(5) The storekeeper was not included in His Excellency's estimate, nor is he included in any list above, and as he does not perform any inspectorial duties, I would suggest that he be shown in the Estimates as a "storekeeper' under the heading of "office staff rather than as one of the inspectors and that his emolu- ments be graded accordingly.
(6) lu urging the adoption of this scheme, af
least for the present, I would point out that
there are now twenty-eight Sanitary Inspectors on the permanent establishment, and therefore that any further economies must be on paper only, until some of these men retire--they are almost all comparatively young men or until other appointments are found for them in the Government service and in view of the general retrenchment throughout all Departments. I presume that this will not be easy.
(7). As vacancies arise, further economies can be carefully considered and, where possible, such vacancies need not be filled up, but in the mean- time, the Colony is growing more or less rapidly and it is probable therefore that by the time the Retrenchment Committee's scheme could be given full effect to, the Colony will have acquired fresh needs.
11. The Foreman Interpreters (coloured men) have been attached hitherto to the plague inspectors, and with the abolition of these the Foreman Interpreters will no longer be needed. Que additional District is being provifted for Kowloon, and this will necessitate an additional interpreter (Chinese) in the place of one of the Foreman Interpreters. The Estimates show
and substituted a pair of brass bangles. When removed a pair of gold bangles from her wrists
she again became compos mentos she discovered the trick, but found that her companion had departed. Four days later she saw him in front of her residence, and brought about Iris arrest. The defendant denied the charge of larceny, but Detective Watt pre- defendant had returned to the Colony before his duced the banishment book and proved that the term of banishment was concluded. Amongst the defendant was a snake tattooed on his left other marks by which the detective recognised
forearm. Defendant, however, asserted that he had nothing but a dragon on the arm mention- ed, and challenged the detective to say whether it was a male or a female dragon. Further, he stated that the man who was previously banished was his twin brother, who hore a marked resem- blance to himself. His Worship held the charge proved on the evidence and sentenced the defendant to one year's imprisonment with hard labour and four hours' stocks.
SAD DROWNING FATALITY.
EUR PEAN DROWNED.
A bathing party promoted by a number of warders of Victoria Jail was brought to a sad termination on Monday by the drowning of one of the party. A launch carried the holiday. makers to Giu Drinkers' Bay, and it was in that vicinity that the tragedy occurred. Warder P. Cockes took a header off the launch and failed to come to the surface. After being beneath water for more than the customary time his comrades began to fear that all was not well, and a few of the stronger swimmers continued to dive for him for sometime, but without success. a very sorry party that returned to Hongkong late that evening, and reported to the police that they had been unable to recover the body of their comrade. The body was recovered on August 5th, and was interred in the Happy Valley cemetery on the following day.
It was
More than 30,000 Chinese have been received ¦ nine of these men and the Committee pro-intohurch fellowship by the China Inland pose to abolish six. My scheme involves the Mission since its commencement in 1866, and of abolition of eight, as I am not usking for the these more than 21,000 still remain. Of the two extra districts for the City of Victoria. number 2.507 were received last year. The III. I think it is only fair to Dr. Atkinson to C.I.M. has 928 missionaries, 210 central stations, explain that the economies which are being 760 outstations, 970 chapels, eight hospitals, 42 effected in the matter of disinfection" owing to dispensaries, 88 opium refuges, and more than recent changes in disinfecting methods' are200 day and boarding schools, with about 4,000 - entirely the outcome of the final report of the scholars.
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