Sessional_Paper_1907 — Page 277

185 (17)

See Tsang

141. Another witness who had been named as one who gave money to the Sanitary Surveyor and his assistants has denied this but admits giving presents at Ting's intervals throughout the year, as well as at Christmas time.

142. The Commissioners have not been able either to verify or disprove these statements, but are inclined to the opinion that irregularities have existed in connection with the passing of drains, but are unable to apportion the blame.

143. While on the subject of the passing of work, it would be as well to point out that the strict enforcement of the Ordinance by which an authorised architect must be employed in all cases of repair is a source of great hardships, throwing an unnecessary expense upon the house owner.

144. A case has been cited where a pane of glass in a covered veranda having been broken, the owner was asked to send a plan shewing the proposed repair; this would have cost a fee of about $20 for a repair which could have been effected for 60 cents.

evidence. Pages 2613/14. Ngai Yung On. Page

2786,

145. On another occasion, an instance was given of a poor Chinaman in an see evidence outlying district who having purchased a house of which the kitchen had fallen of Reverend down, was summoned and fined for not having a properly constructed kitchen, Pages 2336/41. the damaged one having been built up with timber and fallen débris.

As he was too poor to engage an architect and re-build the kitchen, he was forced to abandon the house, which is now empty, thus losing the $200 he had paid for the property.

Y. T. Fong.

146. Previous to the modification of the Plague Procedure, brought about in Disinfecting the middle of 1903, at the instance of some of the unofficial members of the Sanitary and general Board, who had subjected the original procedure to constant criticism, large sums cleansing. of money had been spent by the Government unquestioningly and ungrudgingly on disinfection in the belief that it was a preventive of plague.

147. Until 1901 the Sanitary Board relied solely on the Medical Officer of Health for Sanitary advice, and he was alone responsible for the policy pursued, and yet it appears that the present Medical Officer of Health admits he is not fully acquainted with the composition and effect of disinfectants.

148. One disinfectant was used and then another until in the Autumn of 1901 a general disinfection of the City of Victoria was carried out on his recommendation by fumigating with chlorine and washing with a solution of Carbolacene. Jeyes' Fluid had been the last disinfectant in use, and the substitution of Carbolacene was made at the suggestion of Inspector REIDIE, who until 1st January, 1895, had been a Police Constable and had therefore not had the special training which would qualify him in passing an opinion on the value of a disinfectant. No steps were taken by the Medical Officer of Health to test this new disinfectant. Inspector REIDIE'S recommendation appears to have been considered sufficient, and on this experiment a sum of something like $25,000 was spent in the years 1901 and 1902.

149. The discovery that this expenditure had been wasted falls to the credit of the Secretary who was struck with its cost compared with Jeyes' Fluid and caused a sample to be sent to the Government Analyst. This officer expressed the opinion (Exhibit that it would be useless to submit any disinfectant to chemical analysis if it would No. 121.) not mix with water. He reported that Carbolacene did not mix well with water Woodcock's and therefore stood condemned as a disinfectant.

See Mr.

evidence.

Page 1761.

150. Fumigation with chlorine was another costly experiment. The necessary See Dr. materials alone cost a large sum yearly and to this must be added the wages of the staff of Inspectors, foremen, carpenters and coolies employed in this work.

151. Apart from the material cost we must reckon the hardship to which the Chinese inhabitants of the Colony were subjected, turned out of their houses by the street full at 8 o'clock in the morning and kept there in the rain and cold the whole day.

Pearse's evidence. Page 1907.