CO129-267 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1895 [4-6] — Page 438

435

*tures from these plans by a change or officers.

#

In the opinion of the Committee, before adopting

the separate system of drainage for rhe Chinese town the

views of experienced resident engineers, familiar with the

habits of the Chinese, ought to have been ascertained. It

is a very debateable question whether the system can be sa-

tisfactorily availed of for the densely packed districts

of the native town, and however excellent it may be in an

European, it is at least, open to serious doubt whether it

is safely applicable to a Chinese City.

Having regard to the foregoing, the Committee of

this Chamber are unhesitatingly of opinion that, whilst it

is almost certain the plague was introduced from the neigh-

bouring province, it was only in consequence of the insa-

nitary condition of this City that it was able to germi--

al nate and to become an unparelled disaster, and that,

fore, it was due to preventible causes. The neglect of all

effective sanitary measures throughout a period of years,

and in the face of continuous and repeated protest, makes

it abundantly manifest that there has been, and is, no effe

tive administrative sanitary system in this Colony.

there-

The Committee's excuse for addressing Your Excell

lency at such length is the vast importance of the subject.

I have &c.,

His Excellency,

Sir William Robinson,K. C. M. G.

Sa. J. J. Keswick,

Chairman,