CO129-410 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [3-5] — Page 240

No 13

N°

Завла

Femal

C.

233

PEGL 30 APR 14

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 7th. April, 1914.

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that from the lat. January to the 4th. April there were 361 cases of plague in the Colony. During the first three months of 1912, which was an epidemic year, there were only 106 cases, and it therefore seems probable that during the next few months we may have a worse epidemic than 1912, when there were nearly 2,000 cases.

2.

I enclose a report by the Health Officer as to the probable causes of the periodical epidemics of plague, and the importance of taking measures to deprive the rat population of food. While the importance of continuous house cleansing and more rigorous scavenging, with a view to keeping the houses, streets and lanes as free from refuse as possible, so as to discourage increase in the rat population is fully recognised, I am not satisfied that the abandonment this year of the policy followed since 1910 of organising a general poisoning of rats throughout Victoria and Kowloon is desirable, and I am referring the question to the Sanitary Board for its consideration. I should explain that although the organisation of a general poisoning of rats has not been carried out this year, the poisoning of rats in areas where plague infected rats are discovered is still continued.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

Homag

.&c..

Governor, &

HE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

&C..

&c..

&c...

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