April 17, 1895.1
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
what effect it will have on the rents of Crown | drafted by the Board there was power to app int lands that are now paid in sterling.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Council theu adjourned until Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held after the Council meeting, the Colonial Secre- tary presiding.
The CHAIRMAN-There is only only one financial minute to bring before the Committee to-day, and that is one in which the Governor recommends the Council to vote & sum of $1,324 in respect of additions to the salaries of the andermentioned officers as from the 1st Jan- nary, 1895, as sanctioned by the Secretary of State on the the recommendation of the Retrench- ment Committee: The Colonial Veterinary Surgeon. $600; the Steward of the Govern- ment Civil Hospital, $120; Inspector Germain, Sanitary Department, $120 (for knowledge of Chinese); the Head Bailiff, Supreme Court, $204; the second Bailiff, Supreme Court, $280. Hon. members will remember that the Re- trenchment Committee made certain recom- mendations in the direction of retrenchment. They also made recommendations which could not be considered to tend in that direction. They considered. after their ecquiries, that there were certain officers who were not drawing sufficient remuneration considering the arduous nature of their duties. The officers in this list were among those in the Civil Service recommended for an increase of pay.
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Hon. Ho Kar thought there was a mistake in reference to the vote recommended to Inspector Germain, who in consideration of his good work had been twice recommended by the Sanitary Board for an increase to $240. Why was it only $120 P
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such a committee, but it was cut qu'.
Hon. Ho KAI moved a resolution to the effect (1) that in an emergency the Board could only act effectively by a committee, (2) that the Board appeared to have no power to appoint a com- mittee to exercise the full power of the Board, (3) that until such power was conferred on the Board the Governor be requested not to dis- solve the Permanent Committee, and (4) that a reply in accordance with the foregoing be ad- dressed to the Colonial Secretary
Dr. HARTIGAN secouded. Carried.
DEFECTIVE DRAINS
A number of reports by the Assistant Sur- veyor on house drains were considered antin each case where the drains were reported defective the usual order was made for the amendment of the defects. In some of the cases reported upon it appeared that there were privies discharging into the drain without any fashing apparatus- water closets without water, Mr. Leigh termed them.
PUBLIC LATRINES.
A report by Mr. Germain, Senior Inspector of Nuisances, on the condition of public latrines throughout the colony was submitted.
The following minute by the Secretary was appended :- "With regard to latrines these have not been put in a satisfactory condition since attention was called to them in a letter by Dr. Lowson, dated August 21, 1891. which pointed out the dangers of plague propagation through them. As a new system cannot be inaugurated at once, the most stringent measures should be taken to see that they are carefully inspected and kept as clean as possible. At the present juncture one Inspector of Nuisances should have nothing else to do bat look after them. work would have to be done in a most conscien+ tious manner and directions given as to the free ase of disinfectants. Unless a system for the | regulation of these latrines is inaugurated now there will be a break down in this most import ant matter when any difficulty arises. Several latrines should be closed at once ás nuisances in jurious to health."
This
The CHAIRMAN—The amounts mentioned here are in accordance with the recommenda- tions of the Retrenchment Committee. If Inspector Germain, who has been reported on most favourably, ought to receive a larger increase it is a matter which must come forward separately. I do not think we can alter the amount to-day, and I suggest, if atten- tion is to be drawn to this amount, that it should
A desultory conversation ensued in the course of which Mr FRANCIS said the question divided be brought up at a future meeting of the Com-itself into two parts, first, what was the best mittee.
The vote was recommended.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD,
noon.
The Sanitary Board met on Thursday after- There were present Mr. F. H. May, Vice President, in the chair; Hon. Ho Kai, Dr. P. B. C. Ayres, Colonial Veterinary Surgeon; Mr. J. J. Francis, QC.; Dr. Hartigan, Mr. R. K. Leigh, and Mr. H. McCallum, Secretary.
CATTLE, SHEEP. AND SWINE LAIRS, A letter from the Colonial Secretary was read in reply to one in which the Board had recom- mended the provision of cattle, sheep, and swine lairs at Kennedytown. The Colonial. Scoretary informed the Board that the Director of Public Works had been instructed to prepare plans for the proposed buildings.
THE PERMANENT COMMITTEE.
A letter from the Colonial Secretary was read stating that the Governor proposed to dis- e the Permanent Committee, but before tak. ng that step His Excellency desired to ask what arrangements would be made for carrying out the powers possessed by the Board to deal with spidemics should the Committee be dissolved.
system to adopt for the colony gocerally, and, secondly, how were the present latrines to be dealt with pending the introduction of better ones. Public latrines were a necessity in Hongkong, and. good, bad, or indifferent, the present system must for the present be ach cepted and made the best of.
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The SECRETARY-I do not say it does, but that the Chinese think it does.
It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. FRAN- crs, seconded by Dr. HARTIGAN, that Mr. Ram should be instructed to make an inspection of all public latrines, whether Government or privatly owned, as quickly as possible and suggest im- provements, and that if possible a medical officer should be associated with him in making the inspection.
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WATER CLOSETS, Permission was given for the introduction of water closets in several European houses.
RIVAL DISINFECTANTS.
An application to tender for the supply of disinfectants was consider d and it was resolved hitherto used be informed of the rates offered that the proprietors of the disinfecting fluid by the present applicants and be asked to quote their lowest rates.
POLLUTED WELLS.
drawn from seven different wells was presented. A report of analyses of seven samples of water
The Government Analyst certified that in each to be unfit for potable purposes, and likely to case the water was so tainted with impurities as
prove injurious to health. The wells referred to are at 6, Old Bailey, 8, Old Bailey, 5, Cochrane Street, 104. Hollywood Road, 6A, High Street, 3, Fuk Lane, and 267, Queen's Road West.
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The following minutes were attached :- premises the basements of which have been lately re- Dr. Hartigan-Some of these wells are situated on ported as saturated with sewage. Surely under the circumstances it is impossible to make them safe for potable purposes. The source of supply is tainted. Mr. J. J. Francis. Q.C.-Notice to close up. should like very much, however, to see some report wells, and to have some statement as to whether they as to the depth, position, and surroundings of these
are or are not capable of being put in a sound state.
Mr. R. K. Leigh-Close.
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On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr. FRANCIS, it was ordered that the wells be closed.
THE NEW CENTRAL MARKET.
Mr. FRANCIS asked urgency for a motion to the effect that the Government be written to asking for information as to what had been done with reference to the report sent in by the Board concerning the new Central Market.
Dr. HARTIGAN seconded. Carried.
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THE SQUATTERS AT CAUSEWAY BAY. A letter was read from Messrs. Jardine. Matheson & Co., in reply to an inquiry by the Board, in which they stated that lots 1019, 1020, and 1021 were occupied by squatters entirely withont their permission, that they strongly objected the squatters keeping swine on their property, and that they were very pleased that the Sanitary Board were will- ing to assist them by refusing licences. --`
On the circulating .c
to .cover the Director of Public Works, referring to minutes in which Mr. Leigh and Mr. Francis recommended that the Government should at once provide sufficient aud good latrine accommodation throughout the city, had made a minute in which heasked if Mr. Francis and Mr. Leigh considered that no duty rested on owners of property to provide suitable accommodation of this nature in connection with the buildings they erected P
Mr. LEIGH, speaking in reference to Mr. Cooper's minute, said that owners of European property must of course look after the provision of accommodation of the nature referred to, but he did not consider that was so in the case of Chi- nese property, for latrines in Chinese private houses would be a great danger, and public | latrines were what were required.
Mr. FRANCIS referred to a case which had oc ourred in the Supreme Court in which an in- junction was granted against the owner of a public latrine, on the ground that it was a nais. ance. He spoke of the unsatisfactory character of many of the privately owned latrines, hemmed in as they were by houses, but said no nuisance would arise from Government owned latrines with a sufficient space round them.
There were several minutes appended. The first was by Mr. Francis, who said that in the event of the Permanent Committee being dissolved the Board would almost certainly appoint another committee under some other name, as it would be impossible for the Board as a whole to do the work. The Colonial Surgeon Mr LEIGH said that some years ago the Go- wrote that some such arrangement as Mr.vernment commenced to provide latrine accom- Francis suggested would no doubt be made. The modation, put up several, and then stopped. Director of Public Works asked whether it was clear that the Board had powers to appoint such a committee and give it the free hand it was absolutely necessary it should have to enforce the provisious of the Ordinance.
Mr. FRANCIS asked if there was no power conferred on the Board by the last Ordinance to appoint a committee.
Reference to the Ordinance showed that there was no such power.
The CHAIRMAN said that in the by-laws as
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It was resolved that the applications for licences to keep swine on the above propert➡ L- refused and that the applicants be prosecuted if they continued to keep swine.
COCKLOFTS.
The CHAIRMAN-The Secretary informs me he has received a large number of applications to retain cocklofts, some of them in lodging houses. I move that a small committee be ap- pointed.
Mr. FRANCIS-I beg to move that a committee of one, consisting of Mr. Leigh, be appointed. (Laughter.)
Mr. LEIGH begged to decline.
The CHAIRMAN-I am quite willing to under- take this work, for one.
Mr. LEIGH-I think it would be a very good arrangement if it were left in the hands of the Vice-President, with the Secretary.
It was resolved that the matter he left in the hands of the Vice-President,
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THE COLONIAL VETERINARY SURGEON'S REPORT.
The Colonial Veterinary Surgeon's report for the quarter ended 31st March stated that during the period no cases of infectious or contagious The SECRETARY, in reply to a question, said disease amongst animals were brought to his no disinfectants were used in the buckets except notice; the animals imported for slaughtering opium packing, and that was merely an absorb-purposes were, as a rule, in fairly good condition, ant.
The COLONIAL SURGEON suggested that quicklime should be used in the buckets.
The SECRETARY said the Chinese objected to that because they thought it lowered the ma- nurial value.
The COLONIAL SURGEON-Mr. Crow says it 'does not,
and the supply was equal to the demand. The new Central Market was expected to be ready for occupation early this month.
MORTALITY STATISTICS. The death rate per 1,000 per annum for the week ended 30th March was 17.1 as against 16.3 at the corresponding period last year.
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