1916-08-23 — Page 3

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HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.

IMPORTANT MATTERS

DISCUSSED. OVERCROWDING AND CHOLERA IN HONGKONG.

Mr.

Several Deportant matters were dealt with at yesterday's meeting of the Hong- D. W. kong Sanitary Board. Tratman presided, and those also present were:-lion. Mr. E. R. Halifax, Col. Crisp, Dr. Ozorio and Messrs. W. Chur- chill (Aeting Director of Public Works), F. B. L. Bowley, P. W. Goldring, Ng Hơn Taz, and 'Chan Kai Ming, with Dr. Woodaan (Aeting Medical Officer) and Mr. Bowen Rowlands (Secretary).

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23RD, 1916.

|

LAWN BOWLS.

CIVIL SERVICE RESERVES .... TAIKOO RESERVES. ·

The above match will be played on the Taikoo ground on Saturday next, August 26th, at 4 pm.

place where there was no epidemic. The figures showed that a large number of the deaths were due to respiratory CAUSES.

All such diseases, he thought, were due to overcrowding, and is over- crowding the disenses resulting attacked- the weaker members of the population, They had no de especially children. finite proposition before the Board, but he understood that the President sng gested, and the Secretary for Chinese The following will play for C.S.-

the Affeirs.

supported the suggestion, that

W. Smith, H. Harrison, J. Deane, E. laws and bye-laws relating to rabicks W. Hamilton (skip); T. Ewing, A. Pore-

Jess suspended st should be more

He was very sorry ford, J. A. Bullin, J. Oxberry (skip); the present time. he could not agree to that suggestion. R. R. Wood, F. L. Cooke, H. S. Lang- He did not say that every person found, don, C. H Parkinson (skip); W. R. in an illegal eshiele, should be turned | Cousing; M. Hull, F. E. Ball, F. Bacon Reserves." --J. D.Polley and C. But, but he could not see his way clear (skin), to support the suggestion which bad feta, q made

Dr

Canton. In the last fortnight they had lost as many as 20,000 or 30,000, and there were good reasons for hoping that that marked improvement would contínue. With all this there was no evidence at all in the Colony of general overcrowd ing, none that he had been able to find. The appearance of overcrowding might be given by people at first going to the STATEMENT BY SECRETARY FOR hotels before they looked around for more permanent accommodation. Another small CHINESE AFFAIRS,

matter which might give the appearance of overcrowding was that the refugees have no ocupation in the Colony, and spend all their time sight-seeing. Sleep ing in the streets was a point hich had been male a good deal of at one time or another in reference to the question of overcrowding, but it should not be A regular and forgotten that it was

specially popular custom in the Colony,

The SECRETARY FOR CHINEBE AFFAIRS at this time of the year. They would go

said that the iden 'was that more down either side of the Chinese quarters

the present and see the places full of Chinese sleep-sympathetic methods should be adopter

in regard to cubicles at ing. And the weather for the past two

moment in view of the trouble in South months had been exceptionally fine and

China. at the same time exceptionally hot, and there was no evidence he could find to of show that the practice this year The PRESIDENT minuted that he wished sleeping in the streets had been more coinmon than usual. There was, per- take the opinion of the Board as to haps, one small proviso he might make the attitude

in that connection. be adopted by the Exe

The night bouts from Canton came in at a very inte cutive with respect to cubicles and

hour, and thus refugees arriving by them similar illegalities during the troubles in had very little time to find accommodation the same night. In the fine weather South China.

these refugees had found it quite can-. venient to sleep in the streets and wait until the morning for a better oppor

His tunity of getting accommodation.

OVERCROWDING IN HONGKONG,

10

Mr. Bowley minuted-In view of the high death rate I do not think that may

Sanitary precautions should be released.officers, aryl those of the Tung Wah

Mr. Cras Kai Mago minuted-There is nothing unusual in the death rate for the mouth of July, which is always the highest for the year. I am not in favour of stringent measures being taken against cubicles during the present - trouble in

Bouth China,

in

Mr. No Hos Tez-1 think the high death rate in July was due to the large temporary rese The population owing to the aBux of refugees from Canton. It would not be advisable to discuss the question of cubicles at pre- sent, as understand there are more passengers retorning to, than there are arriving from, Canton,

The PRESIDENT added that he thought bis minute had been misunderstood. He was not for a moment proposing to re-open the general question of cubicles. He referred to cubicles illegally erecter,

Hospital, had been into that matter with the greatest care ever since the question had been in danger of becoming a serious one. They found it necessary, before they could go any further, to make very close enquiries, and one of the many steps they took was to detail a complete district watchman force of 100 men, who went out three nights of the week and made it their duty to make special in- quiries among people who were about in the streets and elsewhere. These men, during these three nights, picked out only one woman who was astray, and the reason she was astray was simply be cause she had been able, to find the address of a relative to whom she had been consigned, and she had come down by the night boat. There was not another person who could strictly be called a refugee, and had not proper accommoda- tion which they could have gone to if they chose. The Tung Wah Hospital autho rities could offer a los of accommodation in their districts if necessary. They were also prepared to spend a large sum of money, $30,000 or $80,000, for erecting matsheds and in any other way which might have been necessary. After the en- quiries he had mentioned had been made was decided that it WAS quite

for them

(ake

It

unnecessary

Eventually, Mr. Bowly moved the following resolution in relation to the matter That in the opinion of this Board there are no reasons at present to depart from the ordinary routine in enforcing the laws and bye-laws relating to cubicles and similar illegalities.

Mr. GOLDRING segonded, and the re- solution was carried,

Dr ÖzexIO'S QUESTIONS. In accordance with notice Dr. Ozario naked the following questions

()-What steps are being taken by the Government to prevent crowding the in the Chinese quarters of City? (Is the water supply constant in the Chinese quarters, If not, the Government attend to s in order to prevent the orige system, having regard to the fact that the latter is condu eive to the contamination of the water supply

(in.)~~How many cases of cholera have been reported within the last week, of these cases,

(a.)How many were imported ()-How many were local1 (ir)-Are there any suspicions that the acute gastro-enteritis causing the two deaths on the 8th and 18th ultimo were caused by the cholera vibrio ? (r.)-What steps does the Government intend to take in the unhappy event of there being an epidemie of Cholera in this Colony The PRESIDENT replied as follow:--- 1-In view of the exceptional condi: tions which have recently prevailed it has not been possible to enforce the law overcrowding in its entirely, as to I have to-day consulted the Board this question.

3-During the week ending on the date in question there were seven cases of cholera, all imported.

or in excess of the umber allowed by

-The supply is constant at present, any and will probably remain so far another the ordinary, house to houve daily visi

Whether it will steps at all in the way of erecting month at any rate. tation. That was the system on which additional accommodation, and they found remain so throughout the dry season de- they relied chiefy for keeping overcrowd-

that as yet the Colony could not, inpends entirely on the quantity of water

bo called any way.

overcrowded. It unpounded in the Tylamtuk reservoirs, ing in the Colony within bounds. The was purely a matter of distribution. and this, again, depends upon the rain-

The hotels were overcrowded at different fall. other emchinery provided by law could

times when there was plenty of room in not be applied generally without impos the Colony, and as the hotels were over- ing an undue strain upon the staff, inas crowded so were many cubicles. And a

"Yes," in the first case; "No," much as it meant visits somewhere be

great many people had taken advantage

in the second of the stranger in the land and had teen-the hours of, midnight and 5 am.

sold cubicles to them. That did not mean

5.The Government is prepared, if for a moment that there was not suf- necessary, to supplement the ordinary The question on which he wished to take

ficient accommodation in Hongkong, If provisions for dealing with an epidemic the members' opinion was whether they penalties were going to be imposed for by segregating in the Laichikok quaran "should treat cubicles found in the or this sort of thing he was afraid that tine station, which has been made ready

the heaviest punishment, would fall upon

I may add that all dinary house to house Visitation Jub

the refugees, not upon the landlords, and cases of acute gastro-enteritis which they had always treated them, by giving just it this moment, and in all the cir-give any ground for suspicion of cholera the owners notice, and, if necessary pre-cumstances, the line of action suggested will be disinfected immediately as for was one which he could not find full cholera, without waiting for the results

impathy with, and he knew that the of a bacteriological examination.

secute, or whether they should, for the time being, ignore such offences owing to the special conditions created by the trouble in South China.

Hon. SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS the made a lengthy statement. He said that the point which had been raised by the President on that matter, the questions to be ked later in the meeting, and the inpssion. he felt sure was abroad in the whole Colony on the subject of the refugees, secmed to him to be a little on the unnecessary alarmist side, and he thought perhaps he could put the matter in its proper perspective,

↑ Chines members of the Board were en- tirely with him. It would, he thought, be sufficient if it were possible to leave the matter largely in the discretion of the President, and, as things now were, he suggested that a day or two should be allowed, in cases where illegal cubicles were discovered, for the occupiers to find other quarters. At the same time, they should ensure that there should be no fur- ther offence.

Mr. CHAN KAI MING said he did not think any of the refugees would stop in Hongkong any longer than they could help. He thought the question should be held over.

Mr. Rowley remarked that the idea of the representations which had been made by members of the Board on the matter had been in order that they might

any

force

for the purpose.

MN.NOWLET'S INTERROGATIONS. .

.Mr.

notice, BOWLEY, pursuant to asked: ---

()-In view of the influx of refugees [ from Kwangtung what steps, if any, are being taken to prevent overcrowding in the Colony? (i)-What stepe, if any, are being taken to prevent the introduction of cholera and other diseases by Chiness arriving in the Colony by land or water from Kwang Fung

The PRESIDENT replied:-

1. The same as the answer to the frst question by Dr. Ozorio.

2.The Government has no intimation that cholera is prevalent at any place in the Kwangtung Province. H.M. Consul-General at Canton, in reply to an inquiry adiressed to bim, states that so far as his information goes, there have been only three or four isolated cases of cholera in Canton, The situa tion is being carefully watched,

HONGKONG MORTALITY

RETURNS,

?

CIVIL SERVICE ». POLICE (LEAGUE).

The above match will be played on the 6.8. Ground, un Saturday next, 20th inst., at p..

The following will play for Civil Ser- vice: -P, T. Lamble, J. Carr, W. Higby, R. Duncan (skip): C. J..Tacchi, E. H. Mace, W. Hill, J. Blake (skip); W. Woolleys He Bower, W. Fincher, H. J. Stanley (skip).

ABUSIVE RÔNGKONG.. CHAIR COOLIES.

Sonte of the Hongkong chair coulies seem to be making u practice of demand- ing more than their legal fare from lady passengers when no-one is in the vicinity to deal with them. At the Police Court yesterday two chair coolies were charged with demanding more than their legal fare and also with acting in an abusive the complainant being Miss Alves, 10, Mogue Terrace.

Inspecter O'Sullivan said the police regarded these cases as serious, because the coolies abused ladies in this manner when there was no one else in the vicinity

matiner,

at the time.

Miss Alves eaid the chair.coolies in the duck were engaged by her at 10, Mosque Terrace at à p.m. on August 14th. They took her to Queen's Road, and from there to Macdonnel Hoad. She paid the men 30 cents upon her return to 10, Mosque 5.30 p.m. The smaller Terrace

of the two cooling, whom she identified, refused to accept the money; he also shouted at her and caught hold of her art. She shouted for help and when the coolies heard someone coming they made of.

Mr. Wood discharged one of the men, but the abusive coolie was ordered to pay 815; $5 for demanding more than his ingar fare, and 810 for acting rudely, The alternative was one month's hard

labour.

the mothers rather than any sanitary measures. It has always presented great trouble to the municipal authorities in England, and is now partially met by the appointment of nurses to go to visit child ali mothers immediately after

Over birth, and give them instruction. 100 of the deaths occurred at the Italian or French Convents, and 1 think if a visit is paid to either of these institu- to the must striking feature is the number of apparently moribund children who are so saved; not that so many die. The difficulty is, not in getting suitable treatment, but in getting the mothers to bring their children to the hospital be- fore it is too late for treatment to save their lives.

"LODGENS"

IN SERVANTS' QUARTERS. Mr BOWLEY, Pursingt 10 natice, moved That a notice should be issued by the Board to householders warning them of the risk of infection arising from the the risk of infection arising from the practice of allowing Chinese, who are hot in the householders' employ, to sleep in the servants quarters, and pointing out that all such persons may be arrested without warrant and banded over to the Police under the Servants' Quarters Ordinance, 1913 to doing so

Mr. Bowley said that he would like it to be known that the motion was sent n be- fore they had heard anything of cholera in Hongkong or Macao, but known as they did that cholera did exist in ese it was an additional reason for places

matter forward. Tho bringing the Chinese servant, he went on to say, was The history of the matter, was to this receive some such statement as had been effect. Before the first threatening of

by no means an inhospitable individual mude by

Chinese the Secretary for

(laughter) and at the present time his the present trouble in Canton, that was Affairs. The public would now have an

hospitality had great opportunities for to say, some months ago, Hongkong had opportunity of knowing the facts of the case, and the causes for panic and alarm

exercising itself, for there were friends a great deal of Chinese accommodation

coming down from Canton. Members of empty. There were several reasons for had been removed. Regarding the state-

the community who had servants' quar ment made by the Secretary for Chinese this. One was that there had been, pre-

ters bad the retaedy in their own hands viously, a very big boon in the building Affairs that it was difficult to accurately

if they chose to take advantage of it. of houses of the Chinese type, and the give the population of the Colony, he

a period of should have thought that with the pre- Hongkong for the week ending August heve sery much the strain put upor other was that there was

Regarding the mortality returns for By adopting this remedy they could re- sent restrictions which were in very bad trade which led many Chinese

Sanitary Inspectors 1 was hardly to find it cheaper and casier to go back regarding travellers such a thing would th r. BOWLEY minuted-The death rate necessary for him to point out that the to the country to tide ever the bad time.not be at all difficult; certainly not so

The is again abnormally high, (40.2 per 1,000 incursion of strangers in the servants' rather than continue to stay in Hong difficult as it was in past years. kong making very little and spending fact that this could not be done left them for the City and 38.6 per 1,000 for the quarters often leads to infection and dis very much. Well, with the first threaten- in a haze regarding the present popula Colony), although there is no epidemic, eases, not only of serious discases but ing of the trouble in Canton there was a tion of the Colony, He was of the and the weather was unusually fine. Of also of evils which were not so serious rush back to the Colony, and at that opinion that an increase of 70,000 on a the 303 deaths, 179 were children under but which were very unpleasant. Under time it was estimated-it was not pos-population of some 400,000 was a suffire, and of these bronchitis, pneumonia the Ordinance he had mentioned any

to discount largely the

and pleurisy account for 43 deaths, and householder who had reason to suspect sible to give any very precise figure ficient reason

enteritis for 37 deaths. I understand that his quarters were being used for the on the best information available that value of statistics referring to the total population of Hongkong was public health, and he was afraid that these diseases are generally due to lodging of strangers had a remedy which increased by something like 70,000, more could not agree that the death rate of dangerous if promptly and properly a visit to his servants

careless nursing or feeding, and are not was very simple. He only needed to pay quarters and or less. At the same time the vacancies the Colony was within normal..

Unfor

treated.

Possibly, the Tung Wan and hold up the occupants while he searched in the Colony in Chinese accommodation tunately, in the annual reports there was

When he bad found were by no means filled, there was still no tabulated statement of the death rate other hospitals for Chinese could make for the intendere. plenty of roon, and more so after the of the Colony from month to month. He better provision for the treatment of the intruders he could telephone the refugees had had time to get themselves thought that when there was no violent these cases, especially amongst the poor nearest police station or call in the con-

est classes.

stable on duty, and he would relieve ton properly distributed. The next develop-epidemic or plague the other diseases pre-

Dr. WOODMAN minuted in reply-The of all intruders. It was a summary ment was when the trouble actually valent in the Colony should be gone into. reached Canton and fighting was taking more fully. They seemned to be disre death rate of 30 per 1,000 for the month measure of procedure which bad 3 ad- of July and that of 40.9 per 1,000 for rautages. But every householder must place in many districts around the City. garded, at a time when they could be gone the week ending Aug Cta are figures which alec bear in mind that he had not con- The influx of course then began again. into and the public health of the Colony At its highest point, so far as one was

are accurate for the time they deal with pleted his duty when he had handed over more property attended to by the devot able to judge, this further addition to ing of more attention to the minor dis-only, aud cannot be compared with the intruder or intruders to the police. similar periods owing to the large mar- He had to attend the police court and the population was something in the cases. The mortality statistics for the

give evidence to prove that the intruders region of 50,000, not probably more. But present year, he contended, showed the gin for variation that exists from tem- it had to be remembered that in both death rate of the Colony to be extreme- porary causes when dealing with small were intruders. If any householder was There too lethargie to go to the trouble of cases, the first total of 70,000 and the ly high. He raised that point last month aunibers and periods of time. second total of 50,000, that the people and the Medical Officer of Health re were, I am informed, about 100,000 re-taking these steps then that household- who came here were people who could plied that the high death rate fugees from Canton during these periods, er deserved all he wright get froin the pay their way, Very many came down accounted for by the fact that the wen and, these are not taken into considera intruderzy

Dr. Ozonio seconded, and mentioned on the evening boat and rushed to ther had been extremely. wet in the tion when the death rates are worked wherever they could, but it was spon month of June. After hearing that he out. If they had been, the death rates that the intruders in servants quarters found that the accommodation for them looked forward to some improvement in would have been about 20 per 1,000 for were a class of people who were not in Hongkong was far beyond their the health of the Colony daring July, the month, and 29 per 1,000 for the visited by the Sanitary Inspectors and needs. They now seemed to have passed which was an extremely dry month. But the week. The mortality amongst children thus He doogers were emphasised. He this highest point by quite a long way, last return did not reveal any improve is very much to be regretted, but it is had known many cases of disease which and the movement between Hongkong ment The figures given feet the week

a question of the higher education of had arisen from this cause. and Canton was in favour of eading August 6th were very high in a

NOW

The motion was unanimously carried. (Continued on next Columa.)

was

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