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Hon. E. R. BELILIOS—Your Excellency, although I have pronounced in favour of the resumption and destruction of the closed houses in Taipingshan, I do not hesitate to support the proposal of my honourable friend opposite for the appointment of a commission to inquire into the condition of the condemned property. I am in favour of destruction rather than of repair or patching up, not because in my opinion the latter course would not prove efficacious for the purpose, but because the former mode of dealing with the district would, I believe, act somewhat favourably towards the sanitary condition of Taipingshan.
Now, of course, the locality is well known to a great number of people, perhaps more to the Chinese than to the Europeans. I have been there thousands of times myself. I have given this subject my thorough consideration and my whole attention, and my opinion remains as confirmed now as it was before. I feel there is no chance for me to-day to escape doing a disagreeable thing—that is, to vote against the senior unofficial member and the member who represents the Chamber of Commerce.
I was on the Sanitary Board and the Housing Committee and heard the expert evidence on Taipingshan. I was hearing evidence given on a locality that I have personal experience of, and with the condition of which I have been well acquainted for the last 15 years. And after hearing all that evidence, and notwithstanding the opinion of others that they were not capable sanitary engineers, or that our opinion is not of the best kind still, exercising my best judgment, I assisted the others in arriving at the conclusion that the whole of Taipingshan should come down and be destroyed.
There is no doubt that a few houses might stand, but considering that the majority of the houses are of a very bad and insanitary character, we came to the conclusion that the few good ones must be sacrificed. Since that opinion was formed after a great deal of consideration and deliberation, I can assure your Excellency that I think that every member of the Housing Committee and also every member of the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board is prepared to stand on that same opinion this very day and this very hour.
There were remarks that some of them had changed their opinions. But I may say that I am not one of them. I have seen many of the houses day after day and certainly I have never heard that. In advocating this measure, we are constantly charged with advising the Government to a very expensive course, and we are often taunted with the question, "Can you make it sure that by this enormous sacrifice of money and trouble we are to be free from the plague next season?"
Now, to that I would simply say that it is to the best of our knowledge and belief that by improving Taipingshan in the way suggested, and by improving other isolated localities in the same manner, I say by so doing we firmly believe the plague will be got rid of. We are mortal men. That is all we can say; we cannot say anything more. We cannot be certain of anything, but what we can be certain of is that to the best of our power and ability, and on the best evidence we could get, we are of opinion that this is the surest way of getting rid of it.
Of course, we are prepared to take that responsibility. I admire those men who would dare to come out and do their best for the public even at the risk of being charged afterwards with having given bad or wrong opinions. There are always some who try to shelter themselves behind something, saying, "In the multitude of counsellors, there is wisdom."
There is the responsibility which, as public men, each of us should take, and if we do our work with clear conscience, even if we fail, our error will be excused. As I have said before, the expenditure involved in destroying and rebuilding two or three hundred houses, serious as it would prove, would be small compared with the loss which another six months' quarantining would entail.
I am in favour of destruction, as practised in Naples, when it was found that cholera had become endemic in that city. In 1886-1887, it was decided by the Neapolitan Authorities to raze a large section of the slums and rebuild it. The district was ten times the size of the Taipingshan closed area. They pulled down and rebuilt all the houses, except those having historical value, which were sanitary and suffered to remain. Since that improvement has been effected, cholera has ceased to be an annual scourge to Naples.
Now, I see no reason why in Taipingshan, where there are no buildings possessing any historical interest, the new tenements should not be allowed to take their place and remain standing. So far, I believe the weight of evidence before the Government is in favour of destruction by fire, but there is a strong feeling in the Colony that the employment of this agent, or total destruction of the houses by any other means, would be a mistake.
Personally, I am opposed to the employment of fire, as it would entail great expense in the removal of the debris and would ruin the streets and side channels, which are almost new. The appointment of the commission could do no harm and it need not even cause delay. Another report on the closed area in Taipingshan, from practical men, would be sure to add somewhat to our knowledge of the local conditions.
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Hon. E. R. BELILIOS-Your Exesilency, al- though I bave pronounced in favour of the re- sumption and destruction of the closed houses in Taipingshan, I do not hesitate to support the proposal of my honourable friend opposite for the appointment of a commission to in aire into the condition of the condemned property. I am in favour of destruction rather than of repair or patching up, not because in my opinion the latter course would not prove ancient for the purpose but because the former mode of dealing with the district would, I beliers, act somewhat
tion of Taipingshan. Now of course the locality! I have given this subject my thorough consider- is well known to a great number of people, per- aties and my whole attention and my opinion haps more to the Chinese than to the Europeans. remains as confirmed now as it was before. I I have besa thero thousands of times myself. feel there is no chance for me to-day to escape and all the localities round Taipingshen I am doing a disagreeable thing-that is to vote familiar with. So when I was on the Sanitary against the senior unofficial member and the mem- Bord and the Honsing Committee and heard the ber who represents the Chamber of Commerce. expert evidence ou Tapingshan, I was hearing evidenos given on a locality that I bave personal experience of, and with the condition of which 1 have been well acquainted for the last 15 years. And after bearing all that evidenes and notwith standing the opinion of others that they were mot capable sanitary engineers or that our opinion is not of the best kind still, exercising my best jndgment I assisted the others in arriving at the conclusion that the whole of Taipingshan should come down and be destroyed. There is no doubt that a few houses might stand, but considering that the majority of the bosses are of a very as a sacrifice to the gods did in ancient times- bad an insasitary character we came to the it would serve to restore confilence in our conclusion that the few good nos must be sanitary condition, not so much perhaps in our sacrifiond. Since that opinion was formed after own minds but in those of soms of our timid a great deal of consideration and deliberation I neighbours. This is a matter of the highest can assure your Excellency that I think that importauca, for while our ships are quarantined st every member of the Dousing Committee and other ports and this part is avoid.d as infected, The also every member of the Permanent Committee the loss caused to our trade is immense. of the Sanitary Board. is prepared to stand on expenditure involved in destroying and rebuild- that same opinion this very day and this very ing two or three hundred houses, serious as it hour. There were remarks that some of them would prove, would be small compared with the had changed their opinions. But I may say los which another six months quarantining as to that that I am not one of them. 1 would entail. I am in favour of destruction a have seen many of the day after day and practised in Naples, when it was found that certainly I have never heard that. In advocat-cholers had become endemic in that city. In ing this measure we are constantly charged with 1886-1887 it was decided by the Neapolitan advising the Government to a very expensive Authorities to rass a large section of the aotion, and we are often taunted with the ques slums and rebuild it. The district was ten tion. "au you make it sure that by this ties the size of the Taipingshan closed area. enormous serife of money and trouble we They pulled down and rebuilt all the houses, are to be sie from the plague next season ?" except those having historical value, which were Now, to that I would simply say that it wade sanitary and suffered to remain. Since is to the beat of our knowledge and belief that improvement has been effected cholera bas that by improving Taipingshan in the way ceased to be an annual scourge to Naples. Now suggested, and by improving other isolated I see no reason why in Taipingshan, where localities i the same manner, I say by so doing there are no buildings possessing any his- interest, the new tenements should we firmly believe the plague will be got rid of torical We are mortal men. That is al we can say not be allowed to take their place and remain we cannot say ang more. We cannot be certain standing. So far, I believe the weight of evid of anything, but what we can be certain of issues before the Government is in favour of that to the best of our power and ability, and destruction by fire, but there is a strong feeling on the best evidence we could get, we are of in the Colony that the employment of this opinion that this is the surest way
of agent, or total destruction of the houses by any getting rid of it. Of course we are pre- other means, would be a mistake. Personally I pared to take that responsibility. I admire am opposed to the employment of fire as it would those men who would dare to come out and entail great expense in the removal of the debris do their best for the public oven at the risk of and would ruin the streets and side channels, which bring charged afterwards with having given bad are almost new. The appointment of the com- fr wrong opinions. There are always come who mission could do no barm and it need not even try to shelter themselves behind something and causa dolay. In the multitude of counsellors, RayCh. I think it is perfectly safe without." we are told on the best anthority, there is wis- There is the responsibility which as public dom; and another report on the closed area in men each of us should take, and if we do Tipingshan, from practical men, would be sure our work with clear conscience even if we fail to add somewhat to our knowledge of the our error will be excused. As I Lave said before, loes! conditions. No time need be lost, insa
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