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answer to that certainly serious minute of mine, but, having read it, I had only to repeat my instructions that the work should be done. Those who had raised the difficulties, however, then undertook to have the work done, and I reported to Her Majesty's Government the promise made to me.
But I think it was in the early part of 1878 that Dr. O'BRIEN, a physician of eminence in this Colony, and another gentleman, a visiting justice, made a record in the book that my instructions were not carried out, and that a considerable portion of the night-soil was still flung down the drain, and the dry earth system had not been carried into effect in spite of the peremptory instructions given by me in May and June 1877. Upon that, the usual minutes the Governor has to write upon such subjects were written, and I then took steps whereby I saw my wishes were carried out.
I am happy to say the same medical man, Dr. O'BRIEN, and with him Dr. WELLS, having to report on the punishment of prisoners, both said in their report in 1879, that they were happy to notice that the dry earth system was then thoroughly carried out in the Gaol. And I am bound to add that there is not now in any part of the world a cleaner or better conducted gaol than that under the superintendence of my honourable friend Mr. TONNOCNY.
It was not merely in the Gaol this occurred, but there is in this Colony what is called the Government Sanitarium, a residence to which the Governor goes for the benefit of his health during the warm months. I found members of my household, shortly after we went to that so-called Sanitarium at the Peak, became ill, and the illness, in the opinion of competent medical men, was traced to defective sewerage.
I directed the Surveyor General to send one of the Inspectors of Nuisances to make a minute report, not only on my own house, but on every house at the Peak. That report I shall put in type, and I am sorry to say it exposes some lack, on the part of the sanitary officers of this Colony, of the commonest precautions in connection with sanitary questions.
I then gave instructions that the dry earth system should be carried out, not only in my own house and that occupied by the Police guard, but in every other house at the Peak. And, when one gentleman grumbled a little, I had to tell the Surveyor General I would exercise my statutory right to reclaim the land, giving the value of it, sooner than allow him to build a house unless he undertook to carry out the dry earth system. I would not allow any drainage of night-soil either into the Pokfulam valley reservoir or over the hills on this side of the town.
That was not the only question I had to deal with in connection with sewerage. In September, 1877, Plans for the proposed Hospital were prepared, and in spite of the orders I had given, which were perfectly general, that the dry earth system should be introduced into all public establishments—and have before me the Estimate of the Surveyor General as to what the cost would be in connection with introducing that into all public establishments—in spite of that, I found in the report a memorandum on the proposed conversion of the Lock Hospital into a general Hospital in which the Colonial Surgeon and the Surveyor General had, in consultation as to this building, come to this conclusion:
"The present somewhat defective closets will be replaced by 'Jenning's patent closets with pan and trap.' One of the main advantages of this patent is that the dejecta are received in such a large volume of water as to be at once greatly deodorized." "Soil pipes will be trapped and ventilated. The present empty rooms adjoining will be subdivided into 'lobbies, bath-rooms, closets, and slop sinks, of the same construction as those already described, and 'trapped and ventilated in like manner.'"
And in dealing with the very serious question of the fever wards of the Hospital, the report goes on to state that the closets and slop sinks are to be of the same construction as described, trapped and ventilated in like manner, and a description is given of the drains by which the night-soil, so deodorised by water, is to be conveyed into the sea.
The words of the report are:-"The sewage of the two Hospitals will be conveyed to the sea, a distance of two hundred and fifty yards from the Hospital-road and Western-street, in a new 18-inch circular stoneware drain."
Now the first remark that occurred to me on reading it, was that my opposition to this mixing water with night-soil had been overlooked, and the earnest entreaties I had addressed to the officers concerned not to have water closets in this Colony had been disregarded, and of course I gave instructions that these parts of the Plans could not be sanctioned.
What I have said is of practical importance with regard to the Water Supply. If an Estimate of $240,000 was made with the idea that we are to have water closets, the amount might be necessary. It occurred to me, however, that it might be well to do what had not been done before in connection with the question, that is, to get some of the gentlemen who mainly contribute the money to pay for this scheme—the well-to-do Chinese—to favour me with their views on the subject, and accordingly these papers were translated into Chinese and submitted to them.
They had ample opportunity of considering them, and after their consideration, they favoured me with their views. Briefly, they are to this effect, that they dread immensely the idea of flushing away dejecta by mixing water with night-soil; that to do so in this Colony would undoubtedly lead to disease. It would be especially dangerous coming from a Hospital. No matter how well closed the pipes might be, something might occur to crack them; the earth would become saturated and sodden, and you might have an outbreak of disease.
On the other hand, they said, our simple house-bucket system, by which all this stuff is carried away every day, is the best system on which to act, and it is on that accordingly I am acting.
Having called for a return of the number of water closets in the Colony, I find there are something like eighty. I find also it is alleged that some latrines in the military barracks open into the sewers in the town Victoria. Well, all that I hope to put a stop to. When we do put a stop to it, and finally make up our minds to avoid anything like mixing water with night-soil for the purpose of deodorising it, and turn our attention to the sensible views of the Chinese gentlemen I have consulted, then we will be able to deal with what ought to be the water supply of the Colony.
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It is the custom in some Chinese towns to have such baths where they can obtain water by paying a small sum for it, and we will do the same here. That will require water; and we also require water for drinking and washing purposes, but I cannot give my consent to any scheme whatever that would mix the question of water supply with the question of house sewage.
The house sewage must be removed in accordance with the Chinese custom, which is a sensible custom. The question then would be what actual reduction can be made in the Estimate of the Surveyor General in accordance with what I have said. Some time ago, the Colonial Secretary asked him to state the number of gallons per head per day that would be required, but I don't know that I have yet received the answer to that question.
No doubt, in a short time, I shall receive that information, and when we get it, we will have an opportunity of considering what ought to be the water supply of the Colony; but you will all admit my first duty is to sweep away that idea of having the privy or house closet system permitted in Hongkong.
So far for the water supply. I can only assure you it is engaging my best attention and that of Her Majesty's Government. And even if I had elaborated a scheme, if I could have got the gentlemen concerned to do so, owing to the pressure to which I have alluded, we could not have gone on with the work.
I may mention, speaking of that pressure in connection with the Praya Wall, that I thought it my duty before I went to Japan to inform the Surveyor General I should be very happy, as there was this great pressure, to give him at that time another Assistant Surveyor General or any other assistance to elaborate these Plans.
However, as the matter stands, you will have before you the correspondence showing how these delays have occurred, and I am inclined to think that, as in the case of the Central School, the delays, having led to a full discussion of the whole subject, have not been unfortunate.
Now, as to the accumulating surplus, I will only say to my honourable friend this much: He thinks a small accumulating surplus a good thing, but does not like to see a large one. Well, what is a large one, and what is a small one? What is our surplus? Why, at this moment, it is not one year's income. Surely you may allow a Colonial Governor to have a surplus within one year's income.
It is what any prudent man of business would have. But there are reasons, which I feel not dwell much upon, but which I am sure my honourable friend appreciates, why we should have a reasonable surplus. There are the works I have touched upon. But there is another question. What was done in this Colony, up to 1878, for the defence of Hongkong? Little or nothing.
Under the instructions of Her Majesty's Government, certain steps have been taken. Her Majesty's Government have informed me that the Colony will be expected to pay a proportion of the cost of the works undertaken for its defence. We have in the harbour at this moment an efficient iron-clad turret ship, the Wivern; that ship is here for local purposes. The Admiral will not carry her away from us; and if it be necessary to have one or two other ships of the same class, I believe they may be efficiently employed in the defence of this Colony.
As you are aware, forts have also been constructed. No doubt, you are also aware a considerable quantity of torpedoes have been prepared. In other words, steps have been taken for the defence of this great centre of Eastern trade, and I know very well my honourable friend would be the last to find fault with the steps that have been taken, and I know he will admit that the ratepayers of the Colony who are so protected are bound to contribute to these works.
Up to this time, we have contributed nothing except the small sum, $2,400 a year, that I appropriated to the Volunteers, but a time will come—it may come at any moment—when we shall be called upon to pay a proportion of the expenses already incurred. That accounts for my anxiety to accumulate what I call a fair and moderate surplus.
Well, I have endeavoured to deal with what my honourable friend called the omissions in the Estimates before us, and I think he will admit I have given substantial reasons why the Central School, the Fire Tanks, and other works to which he refers do not appear on the Estimates.
But there is one omission in the Estimates which I thought would have attracted the notice of my honourable friend, and it is a small sum; it is only $1,200, but is an omission in the Estimates of this year, and my honourable friend has not said a word about it.
Mr. KAD A REA Honourable W. KESWICK said he did not know what the omission was to which His Excellency referred.
His EXCELLENCY---The Central School and Fire Tanks are omitted, and the usual vote of $1,200 for the Curator of the City Hall is omitted, and my honourable friend saw it like a practical man.
Honourable W. KESWICK---I thought it was in the Miscellaneous Services.
HIS EXCELLENCY---My honourable friend is an old member of Council and too shrewd a man of business not to know that in our Estimate for last year, and for several years, there appeared the item of $1,200 for the Curator and Librarian of the City Hall. That has appeared in our Estimates for many years past, and of course my honourable friend saw that it was omitted on this occasion.
Honourable W. KESWICK---I really did not observe the omission; I did not notice it.
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385
!
me.
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open
were
answer to that certainly serious minute of mine, but, having read it, I had only to repeat my instruc- Those who had raised the difficulties, however, then tions that the work should be done. undertook to have the work done, and I reported to Her Majesty's Government the promise made to But I think it was in the early part of 1878 that Dr. O'BRIEN, a physician of eminence in this Colony, and another gentleman, a visiting justice, made a record in the book that my instructions were not curried out, and that a considerable portion of the night-soil was still flung down the drain, and the dry earth systein had not been carried into effect in spite of the peremptory instructions given by me in May and June 1877. Upon that the usual minutes the Governor has to write upon such subjects were written, and I then took steps whereby I saw my wishes were carried out. I am happy to say the same medical man, Dr. O'BRIEN, and with him Dr. WELLS, having to report on the punishment of prisoners, both said in their report in 1879, that they happy to notice that the dry earth system was then thoroughly carried out in the Gaol. And I am bound to add that there is not now in any part of the world a cleaner or better conducted gaol than that under the superintendence of my honourable friend Mr. TONNOCny. It was not merely in the Gaol this occurred, but there is in this Colony what is called the Government Sanitarium, a residence to which the Governor goes for the benefit of his health during the warm months. I found members of my household, shortly after we went to that so called Sanitarium at the Peak, became ill, and the illness, in the opinion of competent medical men, was traced to defective sewerage. I directed the Surveyor General to send one of the Inspectors of Nuisances to make a minute report, not only en my own house, but on every house at the Peak. That report I shall put in type, and I am sorry to exposes some lack, on the part of the sanitary officers of this Colony, of the commonest say it
I then gave instructions that the dry earth precautions in connection with sanitary questions. system should be carried out, not only in my own house and that occupied by the Police guard, but in
other house at the Peak. And, when one gentleman grumbled a little, I had to tell the every Surveyor General I would exercise my statutory right to reclaim the land, giving the value of it, sooner than allow him to build a house unless he undertook to carry out the dry earth system. I would not allow any drainage of night-soil either into the Pokfoolum valley reservoir or over the bills on this side of the town. That was not the only question I had to deal with in connection with sewerage. In September, 1877, Plans for the proposed Hospital were prepared, and in spite of the. orders I had given, which were perfectly general, that the dry carth system should be introduced into all public establishments-and have before me the Estimate of the Surveyor General as to what the cost would be in connection with introducing that into all public establishments-in spite of that I found in the report a memorandum on the proposed conversion of the Lock Hospital into a general Hospital in which the Colonial Surgeon and the Surveyor General had, in consultation as to this building, come to this conclusion : "The present somewhat defective closets will be replaced by "Jenning's patent closets with pan and trap." One of the main advantages of this patent is that the *****The dejceta are received in such a large volume of water as to be at once greatly deodorized." "soil pipes will be trapped and ventilated. The present empty rooms adjoining will be subdivided into "lobbies, bath-rooms, closets, and slop sinks, of the same construction as those already described, and i "trapped and ventilated in like manner.” And in dealing with the very serious question of the fever wards of the Hospital, the report goes on to state that the closets and slop sinks are to be of the same construction as described, trapped and ventilated in like manner, and a description is given of the drains The words of the by which the night-soil, so deodorised by water, is to be conveyed into the sea. report are:-"The sewage of the two Hospitals will be conveyed to the sea, a distance of two hundred "and fifty yards from the Hospital-road and Western-street, in a new 18-inch circular stoneware drain." Now the first remark that occurred to me on reading it, was that my opposition to this mixing water with night-soil had been overlooked, and the earnest entreaties I had addressed to the officers gave instene. concerned not to have water closets in this Colony had been disregarded, and of course I tions that these parts of the Plans could not be sanctioned. What I have said is of practical importance with regard to the Water Supply. If an Estimate of $240,000 was made with the idea that we are to have water closets, the amount might be necessary. It occurred to me, however, that it might be well to do what had not been done before in connection with the question, that is, to get some of the gentlemen who mainly contribute the money to pay for this scheme the well-to-do Chinese--to favour me with their views on the subject, and accordingly these papers were translated into Chinese and submitted to them. They had ample opportunity of considering them, and after their consideration they favoured me with their views. Briefly, they are to this effect, that they dread immensely the idea of flushing away dejecta by mixing water with night-soil; that to do so in this Colony would undoubtedly lead to disease. It would be especially dangerous coming from a Hospital. No matter how well closed the pipes might be, something might occur to crack them; the earth would become saturated and sodden, and you might have an outbreak of disease. On the other hand, thes said, our simple house-bucket system, by which all this stuff is carried away every day is the best system on which to act, and it is on that accordingly I am acting. Having called for a return of the number of water closets in the Colony, I find there are something like eighty. I find also it is alleged that some latrines in the military barracks open into the sewers in the town Victoria. Well, all that I hope to put a stop to. When we do put a stop to it, and finally make up our minds to avoid anything like mixing water with night-soil for the purpose of deodorising it, and turn our attention to the sensible views of the Chinese gentlemen I have consulted, then we will be
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It is the custom in
Some
able to deal with what ought to be the water supply of the Colony. I have already obtained many reports on a subject connected with the water supply of which every one will see the importance, and that is, the formation of public baths in the Colony, so that the Chinese, and especially the poor Chinese, may have the opportunity every evening of having a little warin water. Chinese towns to have such baths where they can obtain water by paying a small sum for it, and we will do the same here. That will require water; and we also require water for drinking and washing purposes, but I cannot give my consent to any scheme whatever that would mix the question of water apply with the question of house sewage. The house sewage must be removed in accordance with the Chinese custom, which is a sensible custom. The question then would be what actual reduction can be made in the Estimate of the Surveyor General in accordance with what I have said. time ago the Colonial Secretary asked him to state the number of gallons per head per day that would be required, but I don't know that I have yet received the answer to that question. No doubt, in a short time I shall receive that information, and when we get it we will have an opportunity of considering what ought to be the water supply of the Colony; but you will all admit my first duty is to sweep away that idea of having the privy or house closet system permitted in Hongkong. So far for the water supply. I can only assure you it is engaging my best attention and that of Her Majesty's Government. And even if I had elaborated a scheme, if I could have got the gentlemen concerned to do so, owing to the pressure to which I have alluded we could not have gone on with the work. I may mention, speaking of that pressure in connection with the Praya Wall, that I thought it my duty before I went to Japan to inform the Surveyor General I should be very happy, as there was this great pressure, to give him at that time another Assistant Surveyor General or any other assistance to elaborate these Plans. However, as the matter stands, you will have before you the correspondence showing how these delays have occurred, and I am inclined to think that, as in the case of the Central School, the delays, having led to a full discussion of the whole subject, have not been unfortunate. Now, as to the accumulating surplus, I will only say to my honourable friend this much: He thinks a small accumulating surplus a good thing, but does not like to see a large one. Well, what is a large one, and what is a small one? What is our surplus? Why, at this moment it is not one year's income. Surely you may allow a Colonial Governor to have a surplus within one year's income.
It is what any prudent man of business would have. But there are reasons, which I feed not dwell much upon, but which I am sure my honourable friend appreciates, why we should have a reasonable surplus. There are the works I have touched upon. But there is another question. What was done in this Colony, up to 1878, for the defence of Hongkong? Little or nothing. Under the instructions of Her Majesty's Government certain steps have been taken. Her Majesty's Government have informed me that the Colony will be expected to pay a proportion of the cost of the works undertaken for its defence. We have in the harbour at this moment an efficient iron-clad turret ship, the Wivern; that ship is here for local purposes. The Admiral will not carry her away from us; and if it be necessary to have one or two other ships of the same class, I believe they may be efficiently employed in the defence of this Colony. As you are aware, forts have also been constructed. No doubt, you are also aware a considerable quantity of torpedoes have been prepared. In other words, steps have been taken for the defence of this great centre of Eastern trade, and I know very well my honourable friend would be the last to find fault with the steps that have been taken, and I know he will admit that the ratepayers of the Colony who are so protected are bound to contribute to these works. Up to this time we have contributed nothing except the small sum, $2,400 a year, that I appropriated to the Volunteers, but a time will come--it may come at any moment-when we shall be called upon to pay a proportion of the expenses already incurred. That accounts for my anxiety to accumulate what I call a fair and moderate surplus. Well, I have endeavoured to deal with what my honourable friend called the omissions in the Estimates before us, and I think he will admit I have given substantial reasons why the Central School, the Fire Tanks, and other works to which he refers do not appear on the Estimates. But there is one emission in the Estimates which I thought would have attracted the notice of my honourable friend, and
E
occasion. It is a small sum; it is only $1,200, but is an omission in the Estimates of this year, bably would have received attention from him, but on which he has not said anything on this and my honourable friend has not said a word about it. Now, how does it come to pass that he has not said anything about it?
Ml Kad A
Rea Honourable W. KESWICK said he did not know what the omission was to which His Excellency
referred.
to
His EXCELLENCY---The Central School and Fire Tunks are omitted, and the usual vote of $1,200 the Curator of the City Hall is omitted, and my honourable friend saw it like a practical man. Honourable W. KESWICK-I thought it was in the Miscellaneous Services.
pay
HIS EXCELLENCY-My honourable friend is an old member of Council and too shrewd a man of business not to know that in our Estimate for last year, and for several years, there appeared the item of $1,200 for the Curator and Librarian of the City Hall. That has appeared in our Estimates for many years past, and of course my honourable friend saw that it was omitted on this occasion. Honourable W. KESWICK-I really did not observe the omission; I did not notice it.
127
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