CO129-540-5 Water supply- Shing Mun Valley Waterworks scheme 11-5-1932 - 7-12-1932 — Page 97

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

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of full quarantine. Instead, it will endeavour to secure a reasonable degree of protection against the introduction of the disease into the Colony by the following means:

(a) The owners of steamers plying between Canton and Hong Kong will be notified that they should warn their ships officers and staff to keep a careful watch against the embarkation of sick persons and if a case of cholera or suspected cholera occurs during the voyage to take the ship to the quarantine anchorage and hoist the yellow flag instead. of proceeding to the wharf and generally to assist the Health Authorities by all means in their power.

The owners will also be asked to endeavour to place a doctor on each ship during the continuance of the epidemic.

(b) The Medical Department will have the Canton steamers met on arrival and the Police will receive special instructions to regulate the debarkation of passengers in such a way as to permit inspection by the officers of the medical department.

(c) The Medical Department will also take steps to ensure that the passenger decks, kitchens and lavatories of the ships. are thoroughly cleansed after the passengers have landed.

(d) In addition I have been instructed to proceed to Canton and get into touch with the Chinese Health authorities there with a view to investigating any other methods by which infected persons and merchandise may be excluded from vessels sailing for Hong Kong,

If these steps fail to prevent or at least keep within. reasonable bounds the introduction of the disease into Hong Kong the Government will have to take more drastic measures.

For preventing the dissemination of the disease within the Colony the following measures will be taken:

(e) The dormant by-laws for the Prevention and Mitigation of Epidemic, Endemic, Contagious or Infectious disease made by the Sanitary Board on the 14th December, 1926, and approved by the Legislative Council on the following 31st December, will be brought into force by declaration of the Governor in Council. These by-laws are as follows:

1. The Governor in Council may at any time, and from time to time declare an occasion to exist in any district or districts, which, for the prevention as far as possible, or mitigation of any epidemic, endemic, contagious or infectious

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