that Mr Drury's proposals appear to me to be very good. The proposals, put briefly, involve the closing of privately owned latrines,
for the use
of which a
charge
is made, of the opening by Govt of some hundreds of free of charge latrines throughout the city. Mr Drury's
long as public latrines are not available argument that as long as they are not available in sufficient numbers, the poor Chinese will continue to resort to insanitary practices, seems common sense. The cost of providing the full number of Latrines proposed will be about $250,000 & the annual Expenditure is roughly estimated at $20,000. To meet this Expenditure Drury very wisely points
out that by the sale of
the sale of the excreta from Latrines, a large return will be realised, which he estimates at $73,000 a year. This legitimate income for putting the Colony
on a
More
sanitary
basis has not hitherto accrued to the gov't, to the full extent possible, if at all.
The report shows that the latrine-system of the Colony is unhealthy & insanitary to the last degree, that it positively encourages the ignorant & poorest population in their filthy habits, & it seems to me possible that we have in this state of things the key to the prevalence of plague & other epidemics in the Colony.
? Ach: & say Mr Chamberlain is perfectly
(3)-12435-2000-199
approves the
engagement of three Inspectors of nuisances, but cash why it
necessary
has been found to substitute the Salaries
recommended in the enclosed papers of particulars
a year
recommended
for the rate of $600
by Mr Drury.
And observe that Mr Drury's report clearly reveals
the existence of
a
most serious and
unsanitary condition
of things in Hongkong,
and that his proposals for erecting
a number
of Govt
owned latrines affords prima facie to be most reasonable, and whether they have been considered and reported as I the Secretary found to whether it is proposed to adopt them, or whether his Estimates of the cost of the scheme &
of the Revenue to be derived from the
Sale of
Excreta
may
be regarded
TCM 21/3
? Refly as proposed adding that in the last para: if his Despatch 939 he stated in that the increase of the Sanitary Staff, then recommended would be sufficient for present needs: and
suggests
that the present method of increasing the Sanitary Staff is most unsatisfactory, but that in view of the importance of the subject the § does not desire to interfere with the your's discretion
J 0.4/3