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Moreover were such clause adopted the "Surveillance"
taken under Article 6 (b) of the Hong Kong Regulations
would probably gain better acceptance, and misgiving 376 arising therefrom, that not until the prescribed
"Surveillance" had been completed was the vessel to be
finally dealt with, would be to a corresponding extent
allayed.
For the rest as regards Regulations 6 (a) and
(b) the word "Cargo" which occurs in both of them is
perhaps open to objection. It has to be remembered that
the Conference in formulating measures of infection
prevention abstained from reference to cargo as such.
Probably the word "Merchandise" would equally serve the
purpose of Hong Kong and at the same time discount cavil
by outsiders.
One other point in the Regulations appears
open to comment; namely the phrase in Article 1 "and
such other epidemic disease as the Health Officer may
consider to imperil the safety of the passengers or crew".
This may be construed as giving the Health Officer too
wide powers of detention as regards minor infectious
disease such as measles, whooping cough and the like.
Having regard to the powers now to be taken under
additional Article 15 the words in question might be
deleted without detriment to the value of the Regulations.
(Signed) W. H. Power,
3rd August, 1900.