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Officer Administering the Government (Hon, W. H. Marsh), remarked in the fourth paragraph of his covering despatch :
What appears to me be most urgent is that immediate steps shouldbe taken to organize and enforce a thorough bouse to house and street to street service for the removal of night-soil, gar bage, ashes, house sweepings, and rubbish of every sort."
33
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
is concerned, could not have marked an improve meat on the condition described by Mr. Chad- wick in 1881.
The much needed bye-laws for regulating the sanitary condition of common lodging houses were not made by the Board until 1891, and when these were approved by the Legislative Council in May of that year, the date of their coming into operation was, at Soon after the receipt of Mr. Chadwick's re. the instance of the Board, deferred to ports Mr. Marsh appointed a permanent Sani- the following year. It is alleged that repre- tary Board "to supervise and control the prac-sentations on behalf of the binese in opposition tical sanitation of the colony.' The Board to the provisions of the Public Health” Ordin- consisted of the Surveyor-General, the Registrar-ance against overcrowding and the possible in General, and the Colonial Surgeon, with a terference with trade which would be caused by sanitary inspector and staff. Three months later more active interference on their part, mainly Bill entitled "The Order and Cleanliness Amend-influenced both the Board and the Government ment Ordinance" was passed by the Legislative in this postponement of the operation of the Council. Section 2 of this Ordinance em- by-laws in question. Nor, on the expiration of powered the Governor to constitute a permanent the stipulated period of suspension, was the Banitary Board, consisting of the official mem. Board found less averse to the assumption of the bers above named, and two other unofficial mem-responsibility of delaying the enforcement of bers to be appointed by the Governor. Section 3 its own regulations against overcrowding, for gave powers to snch Sanitary Board to abate at its request the date of the operation of these overcrowding or filth, while section 4. conferred by-laws was again deferred by the Legislative on the Board authority to enter and inspect Council. With what result this policy has been houses. In 1886 Mr. A. P. MacEwen and Dr. P. attended your Excellency is, unhappily, only Manson were appointed by the Governor the first too well acquainted. The responsibility for this anofficial members of the Sanitary Board. The failure to carry out one of the most essential meetings of the Board as then constituted were requirements of the Public Health Ordinance held in private, and little was known of their seems to be divided between the Sanitary Board work and progress, bat it is certain they were and the Government. usefully employed, and made recommendations concerning the Public Health Ordinance, which was read a first time in the Legislative Council on the 6th May, 1887. This highly important | and greatly needed enactment, which after a long discussion was duly passed, sent to the Becletary of State and approved by Her Majesty, contains all the powers necessary to secure the proper sanitation of the colony. By it the Sanitary Board is authorized to "make bye-laws respecting--
(a) Proper constraction, trapping, ventilating and maintaining of private house drains.
The legislative steps would seem to have been wisely taken, but they were allowed to fall into abeyance by a lack of prompt administrative. and subordinate action.
It has generally been understood, and there is good reason for believing the statement, that the Sanitary Board has been well served by its in- spectors, who have not failed to report upon the insanitary condition of the city, and therefore the Committee do not wish it to be supposed that they imply any censure of these inspectors. Indeed, it has been frequently stated-and the Committee pray your Excellency to investigate (b) Cleansing, lime washing, and proper sani- the statement that the Sanitary Board had tary maintenance of all premises in the colony. numerous reports and complaints in reference to (c) Closing of premises unfit for human habi-sanitary matters. In the interests of the public tation and the prohibition of their use as such. this allegation should, in the opinion of the (d) Prevention of overcrowding in premises, Chamber. be thoroughly sifted, and information co. Nuisance.
be afforded to the public as to what action was taken by the Board in each case brought to its notice.
(e) Defective drains, want of light and ventila- tion, and accumulation of house refuse, dirt, or soy unwholesome matter.
Any act, omission, or thing which is or may be dangerous to life or injurious to bealth or property.
[April 25, 1895
insanitary condition of this City that it was able to germinate and to become an unpar. alleled disaster, and that, therefore, it was due to preventible causes. The neglect of all effective sanitary measures throughout a period of years, and in the face of continuous and repeated protest, makes it abundantly manifest that there has been no effective administrative sanitary system in this colony.
The Committee's excuse for addressing your Excellency at such length is the vast importance of the subject.—I have, &c.,
J. J. KESWICK, Chairman. To His Excellency Sir William Robinson,
K.C.M.G., &c., &c., &o,
ba- kyn who
Colonial Secretary's Office, little Hongkong, 24th October, 18Major Sir, I am directed to acknowledge the receipt bf your letter of the 19th instant, and in reply to inform you that the matter of the ocnstitu- tion of the Sanitary Board is under the con- sideration of the Government.—I have, &c.,
J. H. STEWART Lockhart,
Acting Colonial Secretary. The Honorable J. J. Keswick, Chairman,
Chamber of Commerce, &c., &c., &o.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
OF FIRE BRIGADE FOR 1894. || The following report was laid before the Legislative Council on the 17th inst.:-
Fire Brigade Department Hongkong, 11th March, 1895. Sir. I have the honour to forward the an nual return of fires and alarms for the year 1894. Although the return shows a slight decline on that for 1893, the fires for the most part present the same characteristics as were pointed out in my report for that year.
In the spring the Brigade was seriously em- barrassed in its operations by the supply of fresh water becoming intermittent and almost entirely ceasing, and the comparatively large conflagration that occurred in the month of Marchin Bonbam Strand owed its spread directly to this cause.
It is true that arrangements are made by which water can be turned on upon an alarm of dre occurring, but a good deal of time is lost in arrying them out, and a fire is able to make headway before it can be properly tackled, and in a cowded colony such as this is. with its narrow and steep streets, delay might easily result in very serious consequences.
With regard to the drainage of the city there is a widespread belief-but the Chamber has no means of verifying it-that the scheme, as drawn up by Mr. Osbert Chadwick, endorsed by The Board may authorize any officer to enter Mr. J. M. Price, the late Surveyor-General, and and inspect premises on reasonable presump approved by the Government, has not been carried tion of the existence of a nuisance after out on the original lines, and that the separate lapse of six hours from giving notice to oc-system has been more generally applied than was cupier.
intended, upon this point it is desirable that the If nuisance is not abated proviso is made for public should be thoroughly enlightened. In
panishment by Magistrate
December, 1890, the unofficial members of the Drains.-The Board may require reconstruc- Legislative Council, in a memorandum regard. tion of defective house drains and may inspecting the estimates for Public Works Extraordin-engine. The street hydrants are numerous and premises if they believe drains to be defective.
ary for 1891, sounded a note of warning on this Overcrowding.-Less than 300 cubic feet of subject to the following effect :— clear internal space for each adult shall be con. "We do not feel satisfied that the enormous sidered a nuisance, and proceedings for its abate-expenditure of $282,500, already voted, on the ment be taken.
sewerage of Victoria was a desirable one to incur, but as the work has been commenced and has therefore to be gone on with, we do not dis p- prove of the decision of Government to sanction and carry out Mr. Osbert Chadwick's proposals and plans, but we are now of opinion that it would have been better when such decision was approved of by the Council that it should have been arrived at in such a manner as would have guarded against any possibility of any changes in and departures from these plans by a change of officers.”
In order the better to give effect to the Public Health Ordinance, the Governor (Sir G. William Des Voeux) reconstituted the Sanitary Board, materially increasing the unofficial element, and giving the ratepayers the privilege of electing two gentlemen as their own im. mediate representatives. Unofficial members appointed and elected on the 11th June, 1888, were as follows:-
Ᏹ
Messrs. Wong Shing, J. Cantlie, N. J. Ede, Ho Kai, (appointed J. J. Francis, J. D. Humphreys (elected.)
I have always been of opinion that the com. pletion of the Tytam water works would ad- mit of the introduction of radical changes in the composition of the Fire Brigade, and time has shown that if the water supply were only constant it would be unnecessary to keep any steam en- gines other than the floating engine. The pres sure of water in the streets is excellent, and can. not be exceeded by the results of the best steam
number of fire despatch boxes it ought to be well placed, and with the gradual increase of the
small expense any fire taking place in the limits possible to keep within moderate limits at very of Victoria. It is, however, a sine qua non of the proper treatment of fires that the water must be unstinted; and so long as it is necessary to hamper the Brigade in its use and at times to out it off altogether, so long must the steam en- gines be maintained with their complement of drivers, stokers, and officers.
particular dauger in curtailing the fresh water At the present time, moreover, there is a supply, as owing to the Prays Reclamation works, it may at any time be impossible to obtain water from the sea in particular places. It is, therefore, with the greatest anxiety that one learns of an order diminishing the supply of fresh water, and it will be an immense relief to me when the supply is made adequate for all
I have the honour to give a list of the places and in conclusion to report that the officers and where the fire despatch boxes are now located, men have throughout the year given every assistance in the suppression of fires.
In the opinion of the Committee, before adopt On the reconstruction of the Board it was pro-ing the separate system of drainage for the vided that its meetings should be held in public, Chinese town, the views of experienced resident and the proceedings have accordingly been re-engineers, familiar with the habits of the Chi-purposes. gularly reported in the press.
nese, ought to have been ascertained. It is a From what is above stated it will be apparout very debatable question whether the system can that the newly formed Sanitary Board was be satisfactorily availed of for the densely packed armed with very ampl powers, and that it entered districts of the native town, and however excel- upon its period of office with the full knowledge lent it may be in a European, it is, at least, of the urgent importance of effectively scaveng- open to serious doubt whether it is safely appli- ing the city. Although this was the case it cable to a Chinese city. would seem that this department of the Board's Having regard to the foregoing the Com- work was never performed in the thorough man-mittee of this Chamber are unhesitatingly of ner which was absolutely necessary, for the state opinion that, whilst it is almost certain the of Taipingshan at the outbreak of the plague, plague was introduced from the neighbouring so far as the accumulation of garbage aud filth province, it was only in consequence of the
│I attach copy of Mr. Kinghorn's report on the state of the engines.—I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
H. E. WODEHOUSE, The Honourable J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Act- Superintendent. Fire Brigade. ing Colonial Secretary.
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