360
MR. KENNEDY AND HIS CATTLE AGAIN.
The following correspondence was laid upon the table:
Sanitary Board Offices,
4.4.96.
Sir, I bag to submit the following for your information. On the 2nd instant I noticed in the papers the evidence given by a witness in the Police Court that six cows were landed at the Mica Works on the 11th of March last, and ten more aminals landed at the same place some time before belonging to Mr. J. Kennedy, a dairy keeper. I did not receive notice about these animals being landed, which is a distinct breach of No. 1 by-law made under sub-section 1 of section 2 of Ordinance 17 of 1887. I can hardly believe that this breach of the by-law has been committed in ignorance and therefore recommend a prosecution.I have the honour
to be, &c.,
Inspector WILLIAM FISHER, for Colonial Veterinary Surgeon. H. McCallum. Esq., Secretary, Sanitary Board The Secretary wrote to Mr. Kennedy as follows:-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Sanitary Board Rooms, Hongkong, 6th April, 1896. Sir, I have to direct your attention to part of the evidence recently given by your witnesses in the Police Magistrate's Court wherein it is clearly stated that during the month of March, or February and March, some seventeen head of cattle were imported by you and landed at or near to the Mica Works on the Shaukiwan Road. The landing of imported animals at this place is a clear breach of by-law 1, Schedule A of the by-laws made under Ordinance 17 of 1887, and I am to enquire if you have any explanation to offer for deliberately con- travening the by-law in question. I enclose herewith for your information a copy of the by-laws in question.—I have, &c.,
H. MCCALLUM,
Secretary. The following is Mr. Kennedy's reply with Mr. McCallum's marginal notes given in parenthesis :-
Horse Repository, Hongkong, 6th April, 1896. Sir,In reply to your letter of this date in reference to the landing of cattle at the Mica Works Pier I have the honour to bring to your notice, for the information of the Sanitary Board, the extreme and altogether needless inconvenience imposed upon me by the require- ments of by-law No. 1 referred to in your letter. [Every law breaker would no doubt ex- press himself to this effect.-H. MeC.J With special reference to the cattle in question. I have no hesitation in declaring my conviction that the landing of these at the Wharf and Godown Company's pier would have been an absolute impossibility [Absurd.-H. McC.] There were several of them in a very wild state, requiring very repressive measures indeed to obtain adequate control of them. One had to be tied head and feet and carried; another had to be bound and dragged after a four-wheeled waggon before she would walk. [Cruelty to animals.-H. McC.] To laud such cows as these on a crowded wharf, from which these semi-wild cattle would have had to be driven through crowded streets, would have been, in my opinion, an
criminal act of
madness. Whatever advantages it is intended to secure, or whatever measure of protection the by-law No. 1 is hoped to secure, these advantages, and an equal degree of protection, could, I submit, he gained by extending the by-law 88 to include the Mica Works Pier and the Pier at Causeway Bay behind my premises, and I therefore respectfully solicit the favourable consideration of the Board to that extension of the by-law in question. [This is reasonable, but I would not alter the by- law. I would give special permission in each Case.-H. MoC.] I would further point out that I have acquired my premises at Cause- way Bay since these by-laws were made in 1887, when the necessity of a pier at which cattle could be landed east of the Wharf and Godown Company's Pier Twas not so greatly felt as it now is, and in view of the positive danger to the public which almost certainly would result were cows in a similar condition to those I have alluded to landed on a thronged wharf and exposed to the noise and
shouting of hundreds of excited Chinese, I trust the Board may concur in the desirability of having another pier included in the by-law so well adapted in every way, both for landing cattle and segregating purposes, as that at the Mica Works,-I have the honour to be, &c.,
J. KENNEDY.
The President-The Board must be informed when the cattle are to be landed to admit of proper inspection. Provision should be made to make reporting compulsory.
Mr. Edel concur in the suggestion made by the Secretary and as to amending the by-laws as sug- gested by the M.Ö.H. A draft amendment might
K
[April 29, 1896.
IRISH WIT AND HUMOUR.
13 A
LECTUREBY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOE. On Monday afternoon His Excellency the Governor, Sir William Robinson, gave a lecture in the Odd Volumes Society's room on Samples of Irish Wit and Humour and Ame. The following minutes were appended :—
rican and other comparisons therewith." Mr. a large The Secretary Mr. Kennedy expresses no regret T. Jackson presided and there was
attendance of ladies and gentlemen. - at having brokenthe law. On the contrary, he rails at the law for nobêing convenient to him. How- His Excellency, in his opening remarks, said : ever, as the tone of the letter is, to my mind, entirely-Ladies and gentlemen," Nemo mortalium om- due to ignorance, I do not think it is worth while nibus horis sapit" is a very old Latin proverb. prosecuting the man. However, I do recommend It means that "no one is wise at all hours." that he be informed that should he again import any Whilst for an ordinary man it is a satisfac- animals and land them at any unauthorised place tory reflection that the wisest man has without permission, or fail to report such landing his weak moments, it is the reverse when he, and thus allow of the necessary inspection being the ordinary man himself, has to admit the soft made, that a prosecution will be instituted and the impeachment. Standing face to face with this full penalty pressed for.
large audience I am acutely aware of the fact that although I may be doing my duty as President of the Odd Volumes I was not wise in one sense when I rashly promised to appear before you this afternoon. I need not say that I am not an Irishman: If I were I should probably be a more fortunate man than I am. I do not know and cannot imitate the Irish.. brogue; therefore my lecture is bound from that point of view to be more or less
failure. a
My address, if it cam be so called, will be a most striking contrast to the interesting and instructive lecture delivered last Friday by the hon. Mr. Pollock, and variety we know is pleasing. The real truth is this, ladies and gentlemen. This Society was formed about three years ago with the object of assisting the moral, social, and literary interests of the younger members of the community, not only by providing for perusal and circulation the works of standard authors, but by debating and lectures and the writing of articles for the "Book Plate." I accepted the presidency of this Society, and I considér that, a great responsibility attaches to that position. We want debaters and debates, lecturers and lectures. Lecturers, debaters, and writers have not come forward as I expected, and with a view of encouraging
be made for consideration.
The Medical Officer of Health--The by-law in ques- tion appears to contain no provision for the compul- sory reporting of each importation of cattle or sleepy, although by-law 3 implies that this was the real intention. This is the most important point, and not the locality of the landing stage. I have no objection to the addition of the following words in by-law 1, for such other place as the Board may from time to time decide," to follow the word "Yaunati." The Board should, moreover, further amend bylaw 1 by the addition of the following clause and not less than twenty-four hours' notice of intention to land any such cattle or sheep must he given in writing by the owner or consignce to the Secretary of the Board."
The Acting Captain Superintendent of Police-I agree with Mr. Ede.
"Memorandum by the Secretary for members-In prosecuting Mr. Kennedy for selling adulterated milk it came out in the evidence for the defence that Mr. Kennedy had during the month of March imported some seventeen head of cattle and landed
them at or near the Mica Works on the Shankiwan Road. As a matter of office routine I asked Mr. Fisher if he had inspected these animals on being imported. He answered that he had no knowledue of any such animals ieing landed. I referred him to the report of the proceedings in Court which appeared in the Daily Press and told him it was his duty to report this breach of the law re the importa- tion of cattle at once. I attach his report aud also the draft of a letter to Mr. Kennedy, asking him if he has any explanation to offer for his contravention of by-law 1 of the Cattle Discase by-laws made under Ordinance 7 of 1887.
An amended by-law was submitted giving in- creased facilities for lauding cattle at the various wharves, and making it compulsory to give due notice of landing to the Board.
The by-law was approved.
A CASE OF SMALLPOX,
The Secretary reported a case of smallpox which was discovered on the Thales on the 21st inst. The patient, a Malay, is now under treatment on the Hygica.
THE CLEANSING OF HOUSES. The Medical Officer of Health reported that during the fortnight ended 21st April the cleansing gang had cleansed 1,834 houses, com- prising 4,705 floors. In addition, a staff of sailors and soldiers had visited practically every house in the colony searching for sick persons and dead bodies.
ADJOURNMENT.
|
of
others to do the same I have come. forward
this evening with a good many jokes and stories strung together in a loose, yet, I hope, amusing manner, and I trust that the example I am about to set will be followed by many other members later on, so that greater vitality may be infused into the Odd Volumes. (Applause.) Sidney Smith once made an immortal remark-. I dare not vouch for its accuracy, as there may. be some irascible Scotchman in the room. He said It would take a surgical operation to get a joke into a Scotchman's head." Now Paddy is always either cracking jokes or cracking heads, so much so that it has been asked
"
What articles used at dessert are most Irish- men like ?" Why, nut crackers, of course. (Laughter.) Sir Walter Scott seems to have had somewhat of the same opinion as that ex- pressed by Sidney Smith, for in 1820 he wrote The Highlander never understands wit or humour, but Paddy, despite all his misery and privations, overflows with both. I suppose he is the gayest fellow in the world." Humour is a natural characteristic of Ireland and Irish- It is genial, rollicking, and not offensive. But there is always-saving the presence of our genial Chairman-there is often a good deal of blarney about it. (Laughter.) Any one who reads Lever's novels can find capital samples specimens to my mind far superior to the humour of our American cousins. Yankee
men.
The Board then adjourned until Thursday humour mainly consists of amusing exag.. week.
The Shanghai Mercury of the 22nd April says:-The extraordinary meeting of the Race Club held yesterday evening resulted satis factorily. Those of the Stewards were induced to withdraw their resignations and the list was strengthened by the appointment, meanwhile, of Messrs. D Brand, A. R Burkhill, and Beurmann. The Stewards. are now Messrs. Boning, Brand, Burkhill, Beurmann, Dudgeon, Fearon, and Probst. Mr. Brand addressed the aeeting in an able and characteristic speech; and it is to be hoped that the temporary mis- understanding which led to the resignation of the late Stewards bas now passed away.
geration or grotesque orthography, of which Artemus Ward is a good exponent. We. must all admit that wit and humour may It is sensible, moral, re- have noble ends. creative, and stimulating in a high degree. Porson said "Wit is the best sense in the world." His Excellency then proceeded to give many samples of wit, amongst which were the following
Man," says a witty proverb, “leads woman to the altar, but there his leadership ends."
An Irishman was tossed over a fence by, an infuriated bull. Recovering from his fall he saw the bull pawing and tearing up the ground, whereupon Pat smiling at him said "If it was: not for your bowing and scraping and your humble apologies, you brute-faix, I should
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