PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
PELLIC.O. 882
6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
104
THE INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ORDINANCE, 1898.
Form D.
ORDER FOR DETENTION IN HOSPITAL (Sections 5 and 6).
It having been certified to me by the Surgeon in Charge of the Gaol that
is suffering from an infectious or contagious disease known as I hereby order the said
to be detained till the day of
189 in the Government Civil Hos- pital, unless in the meantime any further order is made herein by a Magistrate.
Dated
189
(Signed)
THE INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES Ordinance, 1898.
Form E.
ORDER WHERE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY REPORTS DETAINED PATIENT FREE FROM AN INFECTIOUS OR CONTAGIOUS DISEASE (Sections 5 and 6).
It having been reported to the Captain Superintendent that
1
is free from any infectious or contagious disease, I do hereby, upon the application of the Captain Superintendent, order that the said
bo [returned to the Goal, there to undergo the still unexpired remainder of the term of the original sentence of imprisonment] or [discharged from further custody or detention] (as the case may be).
Dated
189
(Signed)
THE INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ORDINANCE, 1898.
Form F.
ORDER FOR FURTHER Detention IN HOSPITAL (Sections 5 and 6).
It having been reported to the Captain Superintendent by the Hospital Authority
that disease
day of
is still suffering from an infectious or contagious and will not be in a fit state to be discharged on the 189 I do hereby, upon the application of the Captain Superintendent, order the said
to be further detained in Hospital until it is reported by the Hospital Authority to the Captain Superintendent that the said
is in a fit state to be dis- charged, or until the said
shall leave the Colony. (Signed)
Dated
189
Form G.
THE INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES Ordinance, 1898.
GOVERNOR'S ORDER UNDER SECTION 11.
The premises known as are hereby ordered to be closed for a period of
Dated
189
(Signed)
from this date.
Governor.
o'clock
P.S. This order was affixed to the above mentioned premises at
day of
189
on the
(Signed)
[Person affixing the order.] NOTE. This order should carefully state whether the whole of any house or premises or only a part thereof is to be closed.
105
OBJECTS AND REASONS.
The object of this Ordinance is to introduce into this Colony certain provisions for the notification and treatment of infectious and contagious diseases of a similar character to those which have been introduced into England by virtue of the Statute 52 and 53 Victoria cap 72, and into India by virtue of the Rules made under the Cantonments Act
of 1889.
Sections 7, 8, and 10 of the Ordinance contain special powers of banishment, in accordance with the intimation contained in paragraph 4 of the Secretary of State's despatch of the 18th February, 1898.
Section 9 of the Ordinance is founded upon paragraph 6 of the same Despatch, and section 11 has been framed with a view to specially ensure the prompt reporting of a certain class of diseases.
Section 14 repeals certain bye-laws made by the Sanitary Board and approved of by the Legislative Council in 1895, as the provisions of this Ordinance practically cover the same ground as is covered by those bye-laws.
28461.
SIR,
No. 28.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. B. H. MITCHELL. (No. 121.)
Downing Street, April 28, 1899. I HAVE had under my careful consideration Sir J. A. Swettenham's despatch, No. 227, of the 5th August last,* enclosing the report of the Committee appointed by you to consider certain suggestions which I had made with reference to the prevalence of venereal diseases and the condition of the inmates of brothels in the Straits Settle- ments.
2. I have received a further memorialt on the same subject from the Straits Settlements Association, copy of which is enclosed, and recently a deputation from February that Association and from the China Association represented to me that since the repeal 21, 1899.
of the Contagious Diseases Ordinances there had been an increase in the number of cases
of venereal disease, and in its virulence, both in the Straits Settlements and in Hong Kong, and that there was an absence of effective checks on brothel slavery. They urged the renewal of the Ordinances under which brothels were registered, and their inmates were subjected to periodical compulsory medical examination.
3. The deputation, introduced by Mr. Keswick, M.P., included Lord Loch, Sir Cecil Smith, Sir E. Ackroyd, Mr. Adamson, C.M.G., and other responsible men, who spoke with intimate knowledge of Chinese life and character. Their views, therefore, carry special weight. I now wish to explain to you, as I explained to them, what opinion I hold on the subject, and to give you instructions as to the course which you should adopt.
4. I do not propose to discuss the moral aspect of the question. To do so would serve no useful purpose. There are certain existing facts and conditions, and with them I will now proceed to deal, with a view to the adoption of practical measures.
5. These facts and conditions are as follows:-
The Contagious Diseases Acts were repealed in this country in deference to a strong expression of public opinion. Whether that opinion was well or ill-founded, judicious or the reverse, it is unnecessary now to enquire. The fact remains that the Acts were repealed, and that similar laws in the Crown Colonies and India were subse quently repealed. In 1894 the legislation in the Straits Settlements which provided for the registration of brothels was also repealed. I am therefore asked, not merely to allow certain existing laws to remain in operation, but to take the stronger step of reviving laws which a few years since were deliberately, after much discussion, abolished. 6. In justification of such a course, strong evidence has been laid before me of the growth of disease and the prevalence of other abuses since the Ordinances were abol- ished, and the opinion of responsible men on the spot-the men, both official and
1817
• No. 24.
↑ 4594: not printed.
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