635791-1897-Bills-read--Vaccination-Government-Latrine-Flogging-Regulation-of-Chinese-Amendment--Stowaways-Protection-of-Women-and-Girls — Page 3

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, STп MAY, 1897.

Public

3. When, in the opinion of the Sanitary Board, addi- Application tional Public Latring accommodation is required in any by Sanitary locality, the Sanitary Board may apply in writing through Board for a its Secretary to the Governor through the Colonial Secretary Latrice. specifying the site (upon Crown land) upon which it desires the erection of a Public Latrine, and the accommodation to be provided by such Latrine.

If such application shall be approved of by the Governor Notification a Notification shall be published, in English and Chinese, of intention in three successive numbers of the Gazette, specifying the to erect site and that the Government proposes to crect thereon a Public Latrine.

Latrine.

4. If any owner or occupier of property in the immediate Objections. vicinity of such site objects to such erection, such objection must be sent in writing to the Colonial Secretary so as to reach his office not later than one week after the publica- tion of the last of such notifications.

Such objection must state the reasons and specify the property with regard to the ownership or occupation of which such objection is made and the interest therein of the objector.

5. If such objection is so duly made and is not with- Resolution of drawn, the Government shall not be entitled to claim the the Legisla immunity conferred by section 6 of this Ordinance, unless, tive Council where objec after such objection has been considered, a Resolution of tion is made. the Legislative Council is passed approving of the site and the erection thercon of such Latrine.

6. Where such Resolution as is mentioned in the pres No injunction ceding section has been passed or where no objection has to be granted been so duly made or has been withdrawn, no injunction or suit to he shall be granted against the erection, continuance or use of brought in such Latrine nor shall any suit be brought for damages or compensation in respect of such erection, continuance or use.

certain cases.

7. The immunity with regard to injunctions and suits, Existing Go- conferred by section 6 of this Ordinance, is, hereby, extend- vernment Pu- ed to all the Government Public Latrines existing at the blic Latrines. time of the commencement of this Ordinance, as fully as if the Resolution in the said section referred to had been passed

in their case.

8. The Sanitary Board shall have the control and Board to con- management of all Latrines erected under the provisions of trol Latrines, this Ordinance, or protected thereby and any hye-laws Saving of relating to Public Latrines, which are now in force or Bye-laws. may hereafter be made under the provisions of sub-section

5 of section 13 of Ordinance 24 of 1887, shall apply to all Government Public Latrines including any which may be erceted under the provisions of this Ordinance.

9. Nothing in. this Ordinance contained shall, in any Saving clause. way, he decumed to derogate from any existing rights or powers of the Government.

Objects and Reasons.

The circumstances of this Colony are somewhat excep- tional and, in certain localities, Public Latrines are abso- lutely necessary, and are especially required for the use of the male inhabitants of the neighbouring horses. Expe- rience has shown that the number of Public Latines is mi present insufficient to satisfactorily meet such requirements, and the object of this Bill is to facilitate the erection by the Government of Public Latrines apou such sites as are unobjectionable or may be approved by the Legislative Council after consideration of any objections.

The Government Public Latrines at present existing, as well as those which may be erected under this Ordinance, are placed by it under the control and management of the Sanitary Board and it will be the duty of the Board to sec that such Latrines are conducted with a due regard to Sanitary requirements.

In these circumstances it is thought right, in the interest of the Community, to protect such latrines from the possi- bility of being made the subject of expensive litigation at the cost of the public, it being considered that the approval by the Legislative Council of a site previously selected by the Sanitary Board provides a satisfactory guarantee that as fitting a site as practicable has been chosen.

W. MEIGH Goodman, Attorney General.

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