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In connection with this work it was found necessary to prosecute in two instances for non-com- pliance with notice, which resulted in defendants being fined $50.00 and $25.00 respectively. Also a contractor was prosecuted for contravention of section 49 of Ordinance 24 of 1887 and fined $25.00. Since the commencement of these inspections, 8,146 houses have been inspected up to date. Number of houses for which notices have been served... 6,618 Number of houses that have complied with notices...... 5,648 Number of houses with regard to which plans or notices

for re-drainage or repairs have been submitted...... 6,702 Number of houses in which the drains have been found

defective --Old drains

New drains.....

WATER CLOSETS.

.3,971 873

1} 4,844

6. During the past year water-closets and urinals have been erected in the following buildings by permission of the Board and connected to the sewers:—

Trough-closets.

Water-closets.

Urinals.

24 Caine Road

4

2

Hongkong Hotel

6

Queen's Buildings.

24

12

4

HK. & K. W. & G. Co. Middle St. 10

44

6

NEW BUILDINGS.

7. Certificates have been granted during the year for 310 new houses and 4 additions, certifying that they have been built in accordance with the provisions of section 74 of Ordinance 24 of 1887.

CEMETERIES.

Extensions have been made to Mt. Davis and Matau Wei Cemeteries.

GENERAL.

The Assistant Sanitary Surveyor has certain clerical work to execute which could be done equally well and at less cost if the services of one of the clerks were put entirely at my disposal for 3 days (perhaps less) in the week, thus setting the Assistant Sanitary Surveyor free to do inore important work out of doors where nearly all his time should be spent, iuspecting new work and inspecting for defective drains both for subsoil and sewage. Some time ago a clerk was appointed especially to assist in the extra work connected with house drain inspection. Owing to press of work however he has been employed for the last 8 months by the Secretary mostly in connection with limewhiting notices. Three days of his services would suffice now as requested.

Although the Re-drainage of old houses may now be said to have been completed, I consider it would be policy to continue inspection for defective house drains in a systematic manner for it has been found both here and in England that the average life of stoneware pipe drain intact is between 5 and 7 years only. It has been recommended, in the case of Leeds for instance, that inspections should be always kept up much more therefore should they be kept up in this Colony where skilled labour is not as good as in England, and where the Chinese very frequently make surreptitious alterations.

With regard to swamps that exist in this Colony anywhere in the locality of houses the Board may consider it policy to represent to the Government the advisability of subsoil draining all such places where practicable; more particularly as it is now an admitted fact that an active agent of malarial fever is a certain species of mosquito; and this mosquito has been found by Mr. LADDS to exist in this Colony (vide his communication read before the South China Branch of the British Medical Association on the 2nd instant); apart from the fact that it has always been considered undesirable to have marshes and swamps in the vicinity of dwellings.

I am now engaged in making an inspection of such places and will submit the list at a later date.

I have the honour to be,

The Secretary,

SANITARY BOARD.

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

R. F. DRURY, Sanitary Surveyor.