CO129-317 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [4-6] — Page 591

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584

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100 board

A Amankort

Sanitation, which leaped from $191,933 in the Estimates for 1902

to $268,234 (exclusive of Sanitary Commissioner and special Plague Staff, and Fiague and Other Charges - $211,433) in 1903, show a steady tendency to increase.

3.

Frofessor Simpson's most able and interest-

ing report throws no new light upon the causation or continuance of plague in Hongkong. I have read it with great care and with the knowledge that comes of close observation of plague in Hong- kong for five years. I observe that the causes of plague in Hong- kong and its continuance are summarised in paragraph 4 page 5, and first is the importation from Canton in the early part of the year. I should be glad to see the grounds on which this as-

sumption is accepted. The fact is that plague usually declares

itself in Hongkong before Canton, that it runs the same course,

culminates, and dies away at the same time notwithstanding the

Sanitary efforts in Hongkong which are in Canton entirely absent.

There is a large importation of labour emigrants each year from

the surrounding provinces. The average number arriving for the

first three months of the year being 24,000. These emigrants are

accommodated in houses licensed for the purpose, and every

emigrant has to be examined before proceeding to his or her

destination. I am informed that no cases of plague have been

reported from these emigrants and no cases of plague having

occurred on board the Steamers carrying these labourers have

been reported from the ports of destination. At page 39 of

Professor Simpson's report I observe that a second cause of the

seasonal prevalence of plague in Hongkong is the attendance of

large numbers of Chinese from Hongkong at the Ching Ming or

Tombs festival, when they proceed to their native villages to

worship at the tombs of their ancestors. I am afraid that a

comparison

One