1934-05-23 — Page 7

DAILY PRESS, . HONG KONG

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23,

CONTROL OVER

OVER THE

THE SALE OF FOOD

•

PRESENT POSITION "COMPLICATED, CHAOTIC AND UNSATISFACTORY"

Dr. Li Shu Fan's Outspoken Remarks At Sanitary Board Meeting

"From the ouisċi, may I call your attention in the vital importance of food in relation to health and to remind you that this Board has a duty to perform as a guardian of public health in the Colony," said Dr. Li Shu Fan at the fortnightly meeting of the Sanitary Board yesterday when he moved that restaurants, eating houses and stalls, ète. should be licensed by a sole Licensing Authority and that such authority should be the Sanitary Board.

Dr. Li also made a slashing.attack on the present position of licensing authorities which

he characterised as “compilented, chaotic and unsatisfactory," ':

He offered two remedies for this "evil" and concluded with the hope that "whether 'lo- dividually or departmentally each member should exert his best to the cause of health, especial- ly. In the prevention of disease, and not the least, to make this land we live in safer, healthier and happier for all concerned. ·

The motion was carried, all the members voting in its favour with the exception of Mr. R. A. D. Forrest, the President of the Board. and the Bon. Mr. N. L. Smith, Secretary for Chinese Affairs, who declined to vote.

SANITARY BOARD AND THE POLICE

The following was the motion nude by Dr. Li Shu Fan:--

(a) That it is the opinion of this Board that, in the interest of public health and with the view to the prevention of disease.. it is desirable: ol) that restaurants, eating stalls, stalls for the sale of cooked food, premises for the sale of cooked meat" and cooked meat hawkers. should be licensed by a sole Licensing Authority, but as regards re- staurants. 'such licence should be la addition to any Liquors Licence prescribed

by law. 1) that for the purpose of unt

fed control and proper sant- tary supervision, such sole Licensing Authority should be the Sanitary Board

Eating Houses

As regards Eating Houses and Restaurants, a peculiar condition prevails because, although the Sanitary Board is the licencing authority for Eating Houses, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs is the licencing authority for Res- taurants. The only difference be- tween the two is that the latter are permitted to sell liquor while the former are not.

1934.

licenses and the third possibility will be to extend the existing mo- dest agreement between the two 'departments so as to make it ap- plicable to scavenging and market stalls.

THE ONLY POINT.

agree with me that there should bé no inconvenience caused, or

Mr. Lo said it seemed to him the hardship, involved, neither would there be any adverse. affect on the only point before the Board was trade. Indeed, with the food thus whether the motion as at present protected, business should improve drawn up was sound or not. If pari passu with the increased con- the Board agreed with the present the Government" would Adence of the public. In fact motion. during the last year or twa'I have have to consider it and before, do~ hid this question ai sanitarying that it would have to hear supervision of cooked meat discuss what the IOP. had to say. in op- to it. What he really ed with various classes of Chinese, position

Was that and I have yet to meet one who wanted to "emphasise

is not in sympathy with the sug-they should consider the motion

purely on its merits. gestion.

"

The "Licensing Fre

CONTROL OF HAWKERS

With reference to the licencing Dr. J. M. Gray: We regard to fee. I suggest this should be only the control of hawkers, the case nominal Our main object is to in point was brought to my no- ensure complete registration of the tice the other day by the Medical cooked meat..sellers with the view Officer of Schools that four cases of bringing them under sanitary of typhoid had occurred in schools. supervision. Moreover In these Four other cases had occurred in hard times, there should be no the district around King's College. hardship imposed. Our primary The position in regard to the concern is terms of health and schools is that the schoolboys go not dollars.

out to various eating houses and It is somewhat surprising that feed during recess. In an endeav- while such unhygienic state ofour to find out the carrier in the affairs existed as regards the sale vicinity. I sent 24 cases to the of cooked meat. the Board at pre- Bacteriological Institute for ex- sent is unable to make any by amination. We found that the laws unless sanctioned by legisla- proprietess in one eating house in Bonham Road was a typhold car- tol

In conclusion. I wish to em-rter. She is now in Kowloon Hos- The Medi- phasize the fact that the multip-pits) under treatment.

Ecity of licensing authorities for cal Officer of Schools said, it was tion between the two Departments. the sale of food, as now exista, is possible the carrier was a hawker. not in the interest of public health, who descend in their thousands for example, dual control by the

or preferably The absence of a unified control on the students during their recess. two departments

control over transferance of control to the by a responsible authority such as While we have no Sanitary Department. in which the Sanitary Board is fraught with itinerant travelling hawkers. I event the Sanitary Board should danger, particularly in times of was unable to secure any for ex- as amination. Under the circumstan. undertake to issue a limited num-wide-spread epidemies, such

ces, assuming that a carrier had her of licences and under, such cholera, typhold, etc.

existed, I will be unable to do any- conditions as are advised by the

thing because when a "sanitary in- Police, and then only to such areas

spector comes on the scene they as are assigned by the Police.

vanished

Cooked Meat

Finally, I propose to deal with the precarious situation in connec-

It is well-known' that even in normal times, the incidence of and mortality from disease in the Colony is still excessively high.

I sincerely, trust that you will

NO OBJECTION Actually, the Sanitary Board has

agree with, me that as members of au direct authority over Restaur-

Mr. Wong Kwong Tin said:- cats.

Viewing public health from an The Sanitary. Department,uon with the sale of cooked meat this Board, we have an important however, visits and reports on their without licence from the Board duty to perform, and that duty is

to safeguard the health of the ideal standpoint, I can raise no sanitary conditions only once a and without any form of control. year as a routine, before the issue By this, I refer to shops, stalls public, particularly in the pre-objection to the proposal put for- or renewal of licences by the Secre- and hawkers for the sale of cook-vention of disease. It was sald, ward by Dr. L Shu Fan. tars, for Chinese Affairs.

How-

ed meat, and such meat as roasted "when a person dies from a pre-ever, from the point of view of fowl pork, etc. As far as I am ventable disease,

and there must be hundreds of such shops in the Colony.

some one is

administration I would stress, that the introduction of such measures

as envisaged would be most detri- mental to the best interests of the community,

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But as regards Eating Houses

DX 353-THE LION AND "ALBERT the aware, none of the cooked meat responsible." I subscribe unreser- which are directly under Board's licence.. they are inspect-shops are licenced by the Sanitary vedly to this statement.

I earnestly hope that whether (!!) that the Banitary Boarded periodically by the Board's Board or by any other department.

It has not been deanitely estab- should have power to make

individually or departmentally each one of us will exert our best to the ushed that the present system of by-laws for the proper sand- tary regulation of all eating

Uause of health, especially in the selling cooked food is responsible and cooked food stalls, cook-

prevention of disease and not the for the spread of disease. I admit ed, meat premises and cook-

least. to make this land we live in that the present system can be ed meat hawkers, and in

safer, healthier and happler for all improved upon, and to the aesthe- concerned.

With these remarks, I beg to sub-tically minded, it may even be re-

prehensible, but taking into mit the motion standing in my sideration the standard of living

me.

particular for the, safeguard ing from dust and insects of all such cooked food; for the cleanliness and sate- guarding from dust and in- sects of all utensils used by the sellers of such food; and for the wrapping in a satas- factory manner so as to be free from contamination and to protect. from dust and insects of all articles pur- chased before delivery to the customers, and,

ሲ

(b) That a copy of this motion be forwarded to the Government with the request that the néces- sary legislation be passed, In order to give erect to this motion."

DR. LI SHU FAN

action.

MR. M. K. LO

emcers and any infringement of the Board's by-laws such as to sanitary conditions, etc. is report-

The alarming situation is that ed at once to the Board's Select all and sundry may sell cooked Committee on Eating Houses for meat of any kind without restric-

On the point of the tlon, even to the extent of offer Select Committee, and its work, iting from the backyard a fowl is desirable that the public should which has died of disease,

But this danger dwindles into understand that this. Committee

when

compared as is at present constituted, con- insignificance sists of two official and two Chi- with the unhygienic manner in nese members of the Board and which such meats are exposed for that no action is taken unless the sale, as they are absolutely with Select Committee is unanimous. out protection against filles, insects I beg to "second" the Motion or dust. In the majority of in-which, in seeking to place the sale otherwise the matter is referred to the Full Board. I therefore sub- stances. no shop-windows or glass of cooked food under one unified mit, in the light of my experience, cases are used for protective pur-control, seems to me to be a move that this machinery is a very fair poses, and the meat is freely ex-bin the right direction. and efficient one, but unfortunate-posed. practically next to

I should, however, like to say. ly this machinery does not exist stream of pedestrians.

one word on paragraph (a) (i) in the other departments which In the Summer it is not surpris of the Motion. There can of course also licence the sale of food. ing to see such meat blackened be no harm in the Board having with files. In this connection Ithe power to make bye laws, but may mention that the domestic I must say that I preserve an ab-

In moving the motion, Dr. Li scribed by law. Shu Fan said:

The motion standing in my name I may say, is the direct result of the official replies to my questions "in connection with the contrer of food at the meeting of this Board held on April 24, 1934..

As the motion, before you covers several items of. Importance, I de- sire to deal with themy separately, and. as far as possible, concisely,

From the outset, may I call your attention to the vital importance of food in relation to health and to remind you that this Board has a duty to perform as a guardian of public health in the Colony.

This being the case, I much re- gret to say, that although the Sanitary Board is a responsible body for the maintainence of a proper hygienic standard or food, and for the general prevention and mitigation of disease, it is unable to exercise complete control over the sale of 'food.

The present position appears to me very complicated, chaotic and

|

proposal under discussion.

the

In seconding the motion, Mr., M. K. Lo said;

con-

of the lower class Chinese labour- er, the introduction of restrictions as proposed would not only be unappreciated but would definite: ly means an increase in the cost

of living which in times as these. is eminently undesirable.

Dr. Basto said he thought the motion very necessary and a step Anyone In the right direction. could see that a proper control of sanitary conditions in the Colony was necessary and that the sales of foodstuff, etc, should come under the Sanitary authorities.

The President, Mr. Forrest, pur-

notice. suant to

That moved!

This belrig the situation, it is in the interest of hygiene that Restaurants should be required to fly is known to be a possible car-solutely open mind on the nature . Mr. Hall also supported the mo-

of the bye-law when presented be- tion which was carried. obtain Eating House licences, in rier of such diseases as cholera.

dysentery, diarrhoea. fore this Board, and reserve com-

ANOTHER MOTION addition to the liquor licence pre-typhoid,

In the case of diphtheria. Infantile paralysis, plete liberty of action in regard to them. I feel that in, striving for Chinese Restaurants, I consider it tuberculosis, leprosy, etc.

As for the dust, all I need say the ideal. of hygiene and public advisable, that the Secretary for

is. Whether it is raised by the health we must not overlook the fees for special food licences in Chinese Affairs should continue as hitherto to be the Liquor Licenc- sweeping of the floor or thorough- poverty or comparative poverty of T Hang, North Point and Shau- wheeled that part of the community which kiwan shall be on the same scale ing" Authority, for reasons other fare, by pedestrians or than hygiene alone. I understand traffic, or through the refuse col- is served by small stail holders as is now approved for the City of he Honorable Secretary for Chi-lection of dust-carts, each has its and hawkers, and that we should Victoria; the district now to be nese Affairs, a colleague on this quota on the exposed meat.

be particularly careful to see that brought into line being defined as all" that part of the island" of But. the actual danger really lies the byelaws do not constitute an Board, is sympathetic and I trust

undue burden on the poor, or raise Hongkong lying between the east- the cost of living in these times ern boundary of the city of Vic- toria and the north easterly shore of trade depression.

of the island and including the districts known as North Point, Whitfield: Causeway, Quarry Bay. As regards the unhygienic wrap-

Tai Hang Sai Wan Ho and Shau- ping in which the cooked meat is

kiwan?"

The "nelivered. I feel that sanitary con-

Mr. Forrest said: Mr. R. A. D. Forrest, the Pre- As regards Eating Stalls, the trol is no less necessary. At pre-

for bringing this forward. is that situation is equally anomalous, sent the meat is either delivered sident, said:

Before we proceed with the dis- fees for special food licences were because while Eating Houses are wrapped in dried lotus leaves,

which are notoriously mouldy and cussion of the motion there is one not axed for bread and food only required to be licenced by the

notice, that

that fortnightly inspection. In the Board, Eating Stalls are exempted. difficult to clean, or in used news point I would like to bring to but to cover the cost of the usual

papers which may be gathered your The only difference between the

from anywhere, and which may the Police are not represented in case of the outlying districts in any way on this Board, and they the past, it was considered that two is that the former are within and the latter are without pre-be solled or contaminated.

have not had full opportunities the people were too poor te pag rnises. Indeed, one would have

for discussing the matter. The the same fees as those in, the town. As to the remedies for these is not well disposed to the This is, I understand, no longer expected this in the reverse order."

The only licences Eating Stalls evils, they are simple. I venture

he will raise no objection to the in the fact that in nine cases out of ten the meat is bought and con- No fear, however, need be enter-sumed without further cooking, as tained that the Board will impose resnaking destroys its flavour and

ny hardship on the Restaurants other qualities. any more than what it does at pre- sent on the Eating Houses.

Eating Stalls

The Remedies

This aspect of the question can wait until we have to deal with the actual proposed byelaws.

THE POLICE

....

reason

unsatisfactory, because then xists have, are from the Police Depart-to suggest two. Firstly, all sellers alteration in the present scheme the case in Shaukiwan and Cause

.:

The Poilce

ut licensing hawkers. His reasons way Bay,

The motion was seconded by the a multiplicity of licencing authoriment and the same applies to of cooked meat should be licenced have not yet been given full. I

Cooked Meat Hawkers. Hente by the Board and should be requir have found that a number of years Hon. Mr. N. L. Smith and was car ties for the sale of food.

Although the Sanitary Board none of these are at present undered to provide a glazed case of an age the question of control aroseried...

"THOSE PRESENT Issues licences for Eating Houses, sanitary supervision in any shape approved type for the purpose of and there is in existence an agree

protection. Irrespective of shops, ment between one of my predeces- The meeting was attended by a the Becretary for Chinese Affairs, or form.

stails or hawkers. Secondly, the sors and the LGF., for the indirect rull Board, those present being: issues licences for Restaurants and certain Eating and Cooked Meat I am unable to ascertain the wrapping should be of clean paper. control by the Board of food sales Mr. R. A D. Forrest (President), Stalls, while the Police Department reason of this anomaly, but I pre-

As a matter of fact I have found by hawkers. The question of Hon. Mr. R. M. Henderson (vice- Issues licences for most of the mume it must be for reasons of that quite a few of such shops are sanitary conditions and food ex-President), Hon. Mr. N. L. Smith Affairs); Eating and Cooked Meat Stalls and Traffic Control, which of course is already using glass cases. As to posure does not, I think, come in- (Secretary for Chinese for all of the Cooked Meat Haw- 2 right of the Police. Whilst I the cost of paper, I can. confidently to the agreement at all. There Mr. 3, M. Gray (Medical Officer of kera. As many of these licences fully realise the duty and position inform you that it is inexpensive. are three possibilities. It seems to Health), Mr. Wong Kwong Tin. are outside the control of the of the Police, I am convinced that especially Chinese paper. Natural- me, on which the matter might be Mr. MK Lo, Mr. F. C. Hall. Mr. Sanitary Board, you will under- the Cause of health is not a matter, ly these requirements should be dealt with. In the first place, the LCF Bellamy, Dr. Li Shu Fan, control of hawkers dealing in food Dr. R. A de Castro Basto, Mr. C. stand the inability of the Sanitary for secondary consideration and made conditional on the licence. Department to exercise sanitary supervision over them all

unless there are other specific rea- With these simple and inexpen-might be taken over entirely by J. Roe (secretary) and Mr. Im sonis, I suggest a closer co-opera- Isive suggestions I think you will the Board. Becondly, is dues from Ping-tseung (assistant secretary).

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