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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
magnificent system of depots, slaughter houses, | satisfactory sanitary condition; (b) such mez- and markets which have recently been inaugu-zanine floor or cockloft is situated on the top or rated for the protection of the public from an inferior or diseased meat supply, it certainly seems anomalous that this other and undesir-
have
able system should be allowed to continue. There are three by-laws under Ordinance 17 of 1887 which deal with this matter, viz., 14, 15, and 16, all of which seem never to have been enforced, and it does not seem possible to enforce them as long as meat is allowed to be landed at any spot on the island considered convenient by the importers, for the Inspectors cannot be watching every landing place for the arrival of carcases, or be perpetually pre- sent at the markets to receive those who wish to declare the place from which their meat was imported, and I am led to believe that no means exist of differentiating carcases which come from the Government slaughter houses from those which have been imported from the mainland, as the cattle are merely branded as fit for slaughter, and no mark is put on the meat previous to its despatch to the markets. Another matter which requires to be dealt with, is the disposal of cattle rejected by the Inspector as unfit for slaughter. A strong suspicion exists that many of them are simply re- moved a short distance, slaughtered, and brought to the markets. The obvious remedy for these defects is to prohibit the introduction into the markets of any meat which does not bear the quali- fying mark of an Inspector, as provided for in by.. law 14, but the enforcement of this would neces- sitate the landing of all meat at a given pier at fixed hours, or its detention at some inspection station. The most effectual system, however, would be the prohibition of importation of meat from Kwangtung province, whence I un- derstand nearly the whole amount is imported, to continue the branding of cattle previous to slaughter, as at present in force, and also to mark the meat before its despatch from the slaughter houses, in order to prevent the rein troduction of rejected cattle surreptitiously slaughtered."
* Bylaw 14.-No flesh meat other than that which has been slaughtered in the slaughter houses of the colony shall be exposed for sale in any market till it has been inspected by an Inspector of Markets and marked by him as be- ing fit for human food.”
The following minutes were appended Mr. Ede-It seems to me that if by-law No. 14 of Ordinance 17 of 1887 is put into force and all meat slaughtered in the colony be also marked before sale it would ensure protection to all those who care to protect themselves by only buying meat in the re- gulated markets.
Surgeon-Major Westcott-It is impossible to esti- mate the quantity of meat which is imported, but it is probably not great, and the object of its importation can only be the disposal of cattle which the owners suspect would not qualify for slaughter. It will be very difficult to properly enforce by-law 14, and still. more difficult to reject inferior or diseased meat as unfit for human food. I therefore strongly recommend the adoption of the second method suggested.
Dr. Lowson-I should like to see the reports of the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon referred to; if by-law 14 is carried out it is all that is required.
ground floor of premises; (c) in the case of "top floors such mezzanine floor or cockloft does not extend over more than one half of the floor area
of the room and has clear space both above and below it of not less than nine feet measured vertically. When the roof has no ceiling or tile the measurement shall be made from the level of the floor up to half the vertical height of the rafters over such mezzanine floor or cockloft; (d) in the case of mezzanine floor or cocklofts on ground floors that do not comply with the conditions specified in the preceding paragraph no permission will be granted for their continuance except for storage purposes only and provided that the space so enclosed shall not be included in the calculated area of the cubic capacity of the room available for habitation. It should be noted that under the provisions of subsection 2 of section 8 and by- law 7 under section 13 of this Ordinance, the partition walls of every separate compart ment must not be of a greater height than eight feet and must leave a space between the top of the partitions and the ceiling or underside of the joists of not less than four feet and that such space must not be closed except with wire net- ting, iron or brass lattice work, or carved wood work, arranged in such a way as to leave at least two-thirds of such space open and as far as practicable evenly distributed."
With only a slight amendment the recom- mendations of the Committee were adopted. ·
THE LICENSING OF LODGING HOUSES.
Correspondence concerning the licensing of lodging houses was read.
'The CHAIRMAN said the applications for lodging house licences were very few, only forty nine having been received up to the present. A great deal had been done during the last few months towards the registration of these build- ings, and what had been done would, he thought, greatly benefit the sanitary condition of the colony. He begged to move that the Registrar- General be informed that very few promises were affected by the question raised in the minute of 20th inst. and that the Board are of opinion that it is undesirable to alter the defini- tion in the Ordinance
Carried.
THE SALE OF POULTRY.
A report concerning the poultry dealers' shops in the Central Market was considered. It stated that it was undesirable to sell poultry outside the market, and suggested the desirabi- lity of dividing the wholesale poultry shops in the same way that the vegetable shops were divided.
[September 14, 895.
THE EASTERN MICA WORKS.
It has been said over and over again that Hongkong is sadly lagging behind in the matter of establishing manufactures, and that while Shanghai is springing forward with leaps and bounds in its commercial prosperity we are allowing our opportunities to slip away. But although cotton manufacturing companies have not yet been launched here, a number of new industries on a moderate scale are taking root in the colony. One of the most recent additions is the manufacture of a composition which will doubtless prove of immense importance to all users of machinery and more particularly to the shipping community. To Mr. Cyril Holds- worth belongs the credit of bringing this trade to Hongkong, and it is at the Eastern Mica Works, Shaukiwan Road, that it is being carried on. There are about forty men employed in the manufacture of mica com- position, a self-adhesive and permanent non- conductor, by the use of which, by prevent- ing radiation of heat, it is claimed no less than thirty per cent. in coal is saved. The principal ingredient in the composition is mica, which is obtained from Mr. Holdsworth's estate near Calcutta. The quarries are fourteen miles long, and before the mica is sent here it is ground into a very fine powder, as fine as flour, by huge machines, and then packed in sacks. On its arrival at the works the mica is mixed with pulse powder, cow-hair, fibre, and other materials, until it assumes the appearance of a very badly made rolly-polly pudding. At this stage an evil smelling fluid, which is the secret part of the composition, is added to the cake mica, and when this is done the composition is complete and ready for export. Each cask of composi- tion is worth $100, and it is sent all over the world. Up to the present it has met with every success as a permanent coating for boilers and steam pipes, and there is every probability that this important discovery will find a large
patronago.
THE GREEN ISLAND CEMENT CO., LIMITED.
A special meeting of the Green Island Coment Company was held on Thursday at the offices of Messrs. Shewan & Co., the General Managers, for the purpose of confirming the following special resolution:-"That the capital of the company be reduced from $1,000,000, divided into 20,000 shares of $50 each,, to $200,000, divided into 20,000 shares of $10 each, and that such reduction be effected by cancelling capital The CHAIRMAN said the question which was which has been lost or is unrepresented by materially referred to them was the desirability available assets to the extent of $40 per share of providing spare shops for the use of those on each of the 14,117 shares which have been persons keeping a stock of poultry. He moved issued and are now outstanding, and by reduc- that the Registrar General be informed that ing the nominal amount of all the shares in the the market should be retained for retail sales Company's capital from $50 to $10 per share.” There were present: Messrs R. Shewan only, with the exception of vegetables, which was a wholesale business. He proposed, he said, (Chairman), Geo. Fenwick, J. Orange (Consult- to make further enquiries atid bring the mattering Committee), R. K. Leigh, A. G. Morris, before the Board again, with the suggestion of licensing premises to keep poultry in.
THE DEATH RATE.
For the week ended 17th August the death rate was 23.3 per 1,000 per annum, as compared with 16.3 during the corresponding week last year.
Capt. Hastings-Carry out by-law 14. The CHAIRMAN said this question had occupied the attention of the Board on a pre- vious occasion, and he found that the matter was twice referred to the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon, who had pointed out the difficulty thero For the week ended 24th August the death was in carrying out the by-laws as at present rate was 23.3 per 1,000 per annum, as compared constructed. He therefore moved: That in with 15.9 during the corresponding week last the opinion of this Board it is considered de- | year. sirable that by-law 14 should be altered to pro- hibit any sale of meat in the market other than that slaughtered in the slaughter houses of the colony."
Carried.
COCKLOFTS AND CUBICLES.
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The Committee appointed to control the work involved in the removal of illegal cubicles and cocklofts sent in the following, with a request that it be approved by the Board and advertised in the Gazette and the daily papers :--
No permission will be granted under the pro- visions of subsection 1 of section 7 of Ordinance 15 of 1894 for the erection or continuance of mez zanine floors or cocklofts in rooms partitioned or divided off into separate compartments unless the following conditions are complied with :-(a) the premises are constructed and maintained in a
The Foochow Echo of the 24th August says: -Undue importance has been attached to an attack on an American Board Mission Chapel near the N. W. gate of the city on Sunday last. The attack was not on the Chapol or directed against missionaries or foreigners--it was against the teacher of the mission school, who had become mixed up in a village quarrel. Besides the teacher, his brother and his mother took refuge in the chapel, when they were at- tacked by four of the opposing faction, and. being there the assaulters thought they could bring most trouble on the head of the teacher by smashing some of the furniture. While it lasted the fray must have been pretty hot as four were woundel Occurring at any other time nothing would have been thought of it.
S. S. Benjamin, R. C. Wilcox, A. G. Stokes, G. H. Potts, C. A. Tomes, and C. H. Grace.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr. S. S. BENJAMIN, the resolution was unanimously confirmed.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents.]
THE LING CH’IHING OF CHINA. TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS STB-Polemics generally take up time and give much trouble. They usually end just where they began, the result being in most cases that both sides are more confirmed in their respective opinions and that a certain amount of bad blood exists where it did not exist before. This being my experience, I should not have considered myself justified in making any reply to your correspondent "W" did the im- portance of the question forbid it being left as Misapprehension, ap- his criticism leaves it. pearing in the ugly bodily form of misrepresen tation, is too apt to be taken for effective dis- posal of an adversary's argument, and from the onlookers there comes much applause, and, in
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