Sessional_Paper_1894 — Page 295

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Enclosure 1.

(Notice issued by His Excellency the Governor.).

Whereas certain bad characters have been spreading lying rumours regarding the treatment of the sick in Hongkong and the burial of the dead, this notice is issued to remove all doubts and suspicions and to bring comfort to the hearts of the people. Ever since the plague appeared in Hongkong, every effort has been made to cure the sick and many have been.cured and hospitals have been established under Western and Chinese doctors, and people are free to go to what hospital they please. In the case of those who have died, they have been properly encoffined, and buried with every care in a cemetery specially selected for the purpose, where grave-stones are placed on each grave, with a number and the name of the deceased, so that his last resting-place may be easily recognised and so that his remains may not be neglected by his surviving relations. The Governor has also written to the Viceroy of Canton and some of the sick have in consequence been removed to the Canton hospital, they having expressed a wish to return to their native country. You people will, therefore, see from all these measures that my great desire is to benefit the people and to restore them if possible to health. Do not then believe lying rumours. The rascals who spread them will most certainly be severely punished. Take heed lest you also become involved in their machinations and repentance comes too late.

Enclosure 2.

(Extract from Governor's Speech to the Legislative Council.)

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However, if blame is to be attached to the Government in the past I am determined at all events that it shall not be attached to the Government in the future, and with this object I have asked the Attorney General to prepare a Bill the main principle of which I will endeavour to explain to you as shortly as possible. As stated by Mr. LEACH just now, that very able and energetic member of the community, Mr. FRANCIS, Q.C., has shown the greatest ability and energy in grappling with all the correspondence and many difficulties which have arisen out of this epidemic. That learned Q.C. has promised to assist in preparing a Bill which I hope will render a recurrence of such an epidemic as the one now with us impossible in the future. This Bill will of course be of a very drastic character. It will give the Government--this is of course simply what we propose-it will give the Government power to enter into immediate possession of, and pull down, and destroy, all dwelling houses and blocks of houses unfit for human habitation. It will provide that the Government shall at once resume the possession of all land on which such dwellings are built, paying of course compensation for so doing. It will provide that the Government shall have power to enter all houses now insanitary though capable of being put into thoroughly sanitary condition. Owners will be compelled to amend all such defects in the houses as render them insanitary. The Government will have power to re-survey and re-arrange all lots so taken, and open new roads and improve the old ones. Power will also be taken to enter and inspect all Chinese houses; such houses will be numbered and classified, and a fixed number of tenants will be allotted to each house and room, and owners will be obliged to enter into a covenant that that number shall not in any case be