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that perhaps a loan might have been raised for that purpose, and I was in hopes that H. E. the Administrator would have taken a favourable view of such a proposal; and more particularly as I was led to believe that my hon. friend on my right (the Colonial Treasurer) has prepared with his usual care and precision a scheme for borrowing a very much larger sum even than what I proposed at the meeting in question. As regards the all-important point of sanitation, I think it is extremely disappointing to note that there has been almost, I may say, no allusion made to it whatever. The only point that I could see with reference to it in the Address is the hope held out that a draft Public Health Bill may be introduced during the present Session. I contend that such an important matter as this ought to have received the chief attention of the Government of this Colony. Things are, no doubt, in a most disgraceful state, and I think there are very few people in this colony—perhaps I might even include certain of the officials—who are aware of the real state of things which now exists. In order to prove my statement to a certain extent, I will, with your permission, read to you an extract from an official report which was sent in to the Government as late as June, 1885, or about 18 months ago, having reference to the state of the Market. It is a very lengthy report, and it is one of the most comprehensive I have ever seen issued by an official in this colony.
The occupation of houses specially set apart for the sale of human food as dwellings is in itself a very grave sanitary defect. It becomes a great deal more than that when the houses are not only over-crowded but also quite unfit for human habitation. That those market houses are uninhabitable is beyond question.
The best of them are composed of two rooms, more or less filled with goods, and without conveniences of any kind. There is one room which is only 11 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 6 feet high, and the greater portion of which is below ground, without any window, and the only opening to it being a doorway 6 feet by 2 feet leading into a live fish store. This hole gives sleeping accommodation summer and winter to seven men.
I have visited that hole myself, and I can confirm what has been said of it in every particular. I have also visited in the Market several other holes in a far worse state than this, in which I have seen men actually suffering from loathsome diseases, here in the midst of the food supply of this colony. The report goes on to say ----
The very fact that those houses are uninhabitable seems sufficient to ensure that the Government will no longer allow them to be occupied as dwellings, more especially as the Board has already, in the case of a private individual, taken steps under section 3 of Ordinance 7 of 1883, with regard to uninhabitable dwellings. This being the case, it seems needless to dilate on the somewhat disgusting details of hundreds of men sleeping nightly in contact with and surrounded by the food of the majority of the inhabitants of the city.
With regard to these dwellings, it seems needless to dwell on the disgusting details of hundreds of men sleeping nightly in contact with our food supply. I have discovered that in that Market there are 1,200 men and upwards sleeping nightly. I will ask you to follow me in the succeeding remarks of this report:-
There is only one pail closet and it has four compartments. It is closed during the day and open at night. It is practically a square box without light or ventilation. Even at noon, a lamp is required to see what the place is like. The Central Market Authorities do not supply the closet with a light. Two hydrants stand on the east and west sides of the closet, a vegetable stall on the north, the door of the closet, and a fish stall on the south, and a bedroom above. The fittings of the closet are old and very defective.
The only urinal provided is a wooden bucket in the closet, and of course, this is only available at night. The door of the closet and the inlets to the drains in the various stalls are regularly but clandestinely used as urinals.
Now, sir, I blush with shame to have to hold out to public criticism British officials who have had that statement before them for eighteen months, and yet have taken no steps whatever in the matter, with 8,000 Europeans in this colony all drawing their food supply from this source. I say that one and all, I make no distinction of persons, are deserving of the severest censure that this state of things should have been allowed to continue. The improvements which were suggested were as follows ---
1. The prohibition of the occupation of the stalls as dwellings.
2. The repairing, &c., of the main and branch drains.
3. The thorough cleansing and white-washing of the whole of the buildings both inside and outside.
4. The improvement of the closet and urinal.
5. More constant and complete supervision.
Now, as I have stated, that report is 18 months old, and not one step has been taken with reference to it; and I have no hesitation in saying that it is a disgraceful state of affairs. I have no doubt I shall be met by the cuckoo cry of the Government that we have no funds, but as to that, I say that a profit of $30,000 or $40,000 a year is drawn from that Market, and thousands of dollars are squandered annually for useless ornamentation, although there is a crying evil like this in our midst and no steps are taken to remedy it.
As regards the various Ordinances which have been referred to in the Address, I think it will be time enough to consider the utility of them when they come before the Council for discussion. I think, with reference to the proposed light on the Gap Rock, that it is a very disappointing thing that this report has not already been forwarded to the Secretary of State. The report is of a simple nature, prepared by the Harbour Master, the Commodore, and my hon. friend opposite (the Surveyor-General), and I think it should certainly have been sent in. It is, however, satisfactory to note that H. E. the Administrator has not lost sight of this important matter.
As regards the carrying out of the extension of the Praya, I see that the blame for the delay of this scheme is chiefly laid on the Naval and Military Authorities. It is a very curious thing, but a short time ago I had a conversation with a high military authority here, and he laid the blame to a certain extent on the Civil Government. In fact, I was led to believe the Government had cooled down to a considerable extent upon this important matter. This extension of the Praya would give the Military six acres of ground, and they were prepared to pay two-thirds of the cost of the undertaking. Of course, it is possible that since that statement was made, certain alterations may have taken place; but I must say this, that I believe if the Government took this matter in hand in earnest, the Admiral, who, I believe, will soon return from the North, could be induced to consult with the General and the members of this Council, and this desirable scheme could very easily be carried out.
As regards the all-important matter of the fortifications of the colony, it is to me a most surprising thing that in his Excellency's Address no allusion is made to it whatever. This colony has been called upon to pay a very large sum towards these fortifications, and yet in an important address like this, there is not a single word of explanation as to what progress has been made, or how they at present stand. Of course, seeing that no allusion whatever has been made to it, I can only assume that things are not in a satisfactory state, because I am certain that if H. E. the Administrator could have said anything favourable with regard to them, he would be pretty certain to have done so.
My hon. friend, the senior unofficial member, in speaking of the lazaretto and the Island, Stonecutters', made some remarks I pointed out at a former meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, in which I expressed a doubt as to whether my hon. friend opposite (the Surveyor-General) would complete the work in the time he stated, and I have very great pleasure this evening in acknowledging that in thinking this work would not be completed within the stated time, I was entirely wrong. The work was completed. I was over there after the contract was finished, and I saw the work myself. I congratulate my hon. friend upon the excellent manner in which it has been completed.
I may say that to me the whole Address is disappointing. It seems, I think, to have emanated from a man who says "Well, I am soon leaving the service, and I am not going to take any more responsibility upon myself than circumstances actually compel me to." There is very little indication of any progressive legislation, and to me, as a newly joined member of this Council, it is very disappointing.
The SURVEYOR-GENERAL—It may be fitting, perhaps, that I should reply to some of the remarks which have fallen from the hon. member who has just addressed the Council, especially with reference to matters with which I have been connected. The hon. member called, if I may say so, very naturally and properly called for further information as to how it came to pass that the estimate for the construction of the proposed Praya between the Murray Pier and the Bio Buildings, which originally figured, as stated in his Excellency's Address, at £15,000, should have extended to £71,000, an increase of £26,000. The explanation of this increase is told in a few words. The estimate of £45,000 has reference to an early scheme I had the honour of submitting, as far back as 1874, to Sir Arthur Kennedy, which comprised the construction of a sea wall and embankment running at a uniform level throughout. Subsequently, the Admiralty objected to
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