Sessional_Paper_1891 — Page 167

HONGKONG.

SANITARY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1890.

163

No. 11

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, on the 10th April, 1891.

SANITARY BOARD ROOM, HONGKONG, 7th MARCH, 1891.

91.

To the President and Members of the Sanitary Board.

GENTLEMEN,

I have the honour to submit this the second annual report-year 1890-concerning the work done by the Sanitary Department.

DRAINAGE WORKS.

2. In addition to the works carried out by property owners of their own motion a considerable number of houses which were found on inspection to be in an insanitary condition have been re-drained at the request of the Board. I append a tabular statement (A) showing:-

(a.) The locality in which the houses so found to be insanitary are situated.

(b.) The number of houses so found at each such locality.

(c.) The houses so found for which plans for their re-drainage have been submitted.

(d.) The houses so found in which the work of re-drainage has been completed.

(e.) Explanatory remarks regarding the houses so found for which no plans have as yet been submitted.

3. It has frequently happened during the year that comparatively new pipe-drains have become choked-in most cases through their misuse-and with a view to assisting and instructing house-holders how to deal with drains thus choked the Inspectors have been furnished with a few simple tools with which-in most cases-by the expenditure of a little time the drains have been cleared. Of course, care has been exercised to carefully explain to the householders that such work is no part of the duty of the Inspectors and that it has simply been done to show them how the drains can be cleared and if properly used kept clear. If householders, through their servants, will carelessly or wilfully injure or destroy the drains of the houses they occupy it seems but right that they should make good such injuries at their own cost. However, this is a point which may safely be left for settlement between landlord and tenant, I merely mention it as a point which, I think, will be of some interest to Members of the Board.

MARKETS AND SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.

4. The remarks made in the report for 1889 under this head are equally applicable to the past year. When the new Slaughter-houses and Markets are completed a great and much needed advance in the public management of the Colony's supply of perishable articles of food should, with care and tact, be fairly easily attained.

5. During the year the whole of the cow-keepers in the Colony so altered and arranged their sheds as to entitle them to be licensed as fit places in which to keep cattle. In some of the outlying villages there are some cattle kept although no sheds have been licensed and it is understood that the animals are not housed in any way.

6. On the 3rd of March the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon reported an outbreak of Pleuro-Pneumonia at a dairy in Second Street. At a meeting of the Board held on the same day it was decided to slaughter the whole of the animals in this dairy. This was done on the morning of the 4th March. Judging from what had occurred in the Colony before, I think that the prompt action taken on this occasion put an end to what might have proved ruinous to many of the cow. keepers in the Colony and very seriously affected the supply of milk.

7. On the 8th November 1890 information was received that some animals on board a Russian transport, lying in the Aberdeen Dock, were suffering from Pleuro-Pneumonia. With the exception of one which died and was I uried on store the animals were slaughtered and their carcases were buried at sea by the Captain of the transport.