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the shipowners import coolies for, because it pays them to do so. Personally I cannot see anything inherently unjust in requiring those who bring cases of infection to the Colony to pay for their treatment. When I was in British Honduras ships used to bring up fever cases from Central America and dump them down in Belize, and leave the Hospital Authorities at Belize to bear the cost of healing them. This was only stopped by an Ordinance Cap. CXVII of the Consolidated Laws of British Honduras, which provided that:-
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"Any Master of a Vessel or other person who shall land in any place in this Colony any person who, at the time of such landing, shall from sickness, age, infirmity or want of means of support become chargeable to the Government or burdensome to the Colony" shall be liable to $100 penalty with 3 months imprisonment in default. Penalty recoverable summarily.
This Ordinance proved most effective and prevented labourers from the Panama Canal suffering from malarial and dengue fever from being brought wholesale to Belize for treatment "gratis".
No doubt the shipowners would prefer their liability to be restricted to those on the ship's articles; - but they can protect themselves by their tickets to 1st and 3rd class passengers and I understand do so; and if they find it pays to import coolies who have no means I hardly think it fair they should expect infectious and contagious cases to be treated in the Hongkong hospital at the expense of the ratepayers. However, it is a matter with which, I presume the Secretary of State must deal in the circumstances.
(31.) Xeigh Goolaan.
33rd December, 1901.