May 27, 1896.]
against specific individuals." I have to remind the members of this Board that it is compara- tively recently that an officer of this Board had a specific complaint made against him in two cases by a great number of residents in the districts in which it was his duty to enforce the sanitary regulations. Investigations were made and it turned out that the charges made against the officer were quite unfounded. Under these circumstances I regret I canuot agree with Mr. Ede in thinking in this case we ought to take the word of the complainant against that of the policeman 103, although at the same time I am extremely glad to think that the circumstances are such as to enable me and some of the members of this Board to support the officer against whom the complaint is made. There is one other point in Mr. Ede's minute. in which be says, No mention is made about the ceiling which we saw in Bonham Strand." Well, I read the letter carefully through before I drafted the proposed reply and I am sorry to say I cannot find any mention of the ceiling.
Mr. EDE-Which letter?
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The PRESIDENT-Mr. Danby's. Mr. EDE-That matter has been explained. It refers to a house we went to and Mr. Danby said
Look at this. This has been taken down, and if this is taken down why are not the others ?” It certainly was a ceiling and Mr. McCallum said he would investigate the matter. He has since done so and he told me two days ago since I wrote the minute-that the place was illegal because it was not a certain number of feet in height and because it contained cubicles. It certainly looked at first as if the ceiling had been improperly pulled down.
The PRESIDENT-There is nothing specific in reference to that in this letter as far as I can
800.
Mr. EDE-The whole thing hinges on that. The PRESIDENT-Upon this ceiling Mr. EDE-Upon his client's cockloft as he called it. I call it a ceiling. It was a high ceiling-fourteen feet or so.
The PRESIDENT-He refers to cocklofts. Mr. EDE-He called it a cockloft, but it was found to be really a ceiling.
The PRESIDENT-It does not appear that Mr. Danby was of that opinion. The letter drafted was only intended to be a reply to Mr. Danby's letter and not to the numerous com- plaints-
Mr. EDE-That is immaterial. The PRESIDENT-I do not know whether there is anything more that the Board can do in this matter. Careful inquiry has been made of what has taken place and the various reports have been circulated to the members of this Board, and after consideration of those reports the attached draft was circulated for the approval of members, and I now propose that the letter as amended be approved by the Board.
The ACTING CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE Seconded.
Mr. EDE-You state that Mr. Dauby has not given definite information as to the goods he saw damaged by water and also roughly treated. But surely he could have been called upon to say what goods they were. He must have known exactly what they were, the time they were damaged, and the house, and I think he might be called upon to say where they were. Perhaps that would clear up the matter as he could give definite evidence as to what goods they were.
The PRESIDENT-In reply to Mr. Ede I may state that had this letter been addressed to the Board I think there are a great many matters in it which the Board might very fairly have asked Mr. Danby for more information upon, but as it was not addressed to the Board, and as I have no reason to believe that Mr. Danby is prepared to give particulars of the numbers of the houses or the names of the persons concerned in his complaints in fact he has already refused to give me permission to make use of such in- formation as he has given me on the subject-I do not think the Board can do more than acknowledge the receipt of this letter from the Colonial Secretary and forward this report for the information of His Excellency the Governor. The resolution is that the letter as amended be approved.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT!
The PRESIDENT-No, I do not consider that is necessary. Has anybody got any amend ment to make ?
Mr. EDE-I more that the last paragraph be omitted.
The PRESIDENT-Does anybody second that: There was no secouder and the resolution was put and carried, ouly Mr. Ede voting against it.
The following is a copy of the letter it was resolved to forward to the Colonial Secretary:
Sir. I am directed to acknowledge the re ceipt of your letter No. 775 of the 15th inst enclosing a letter that appeared in the Ching Mail, under the heading Cleansing of the City," dated the 14th May, and over the signature of Mr. W. Danby.
This letter purports to advert to the cru sade now being waged against illegal cockt lofts and sunshades in this city by the officials of the Sanitary Board and to contain a plain statement of facts which have come under Mr Danby's personal knowledge since Friday, the 8th ist.
Before dealing with the alleged facts I have to point out that no crusade is being waged by the officials of the Sanitary Board against illegal cocklofts and sunshades in particular.
The efforts of the officials of the Sanitary Board during the last few months, wing to the unfortunate reappearance of the bubonic plague, and which at one time threatened to assume alarming proportions, have been mainly directed against the state of filth that was found to exist in many houses in the city and the obstructions of windows and ventilating open- ings preventing, and in many cases practically entirely precluding, the free access of air and light into the dwellings.
The Board were convinced that the prompt adoption and prosecution of measures to remedy this state of affairs were the only prretical means of arresting the progfoss of the disease, and the material reduction in the nunt ber of cases recently occurring in the city cer tainly tends to strengthen such conviction.
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provisions of the Ordinance he found that they were legal and duly informed Mr. Danby of the fact on Monday, 10th inst., viz., four days before the date of Mr. Danby's communication to the
press.
The fact that these cocklofts were still in existence testifies to the discrimination of what Mr. Danby refers to us "the whitewashing bri- gade with its irresponsible contingent of soldiers
and coolies."
The next statement refers to Mr. Danby having reşeived reliable information as to how the oracle is worked (i.e. allowing illegal cocklofts to remain). Chapter and verse were given me; I reported this to headquarters.”
This the Board understands refers to certain statements made to the President on Monday. the 10th inst.
In view of Mr. Danby's letter appearing in the papers the President wrote to him request- ing his consent to the publication of the in- formation (omitting names) he furnished him with and received the attached reply dated the 16th of May, from which it will be seen that Mr. Danby states "the information was given confidentially for what it was worth with a view to you (the President) having it verified or otherwise."
Mr. Danby evidently on the 16th inst. con- sidered the statements required verification before acceptance. In that opinion the Presi dent thoroughly concurred. The statement "as to how the oracle was worked" referred to a certain person not connected with the Board hating offered to work the oracle on receipt of certain sums of money, Mr. Danby's inference being that the money received was participated in by the officers of the Board.
The President. had inquiries made and as- certained that the alleged illegal cocktofts were legal and that their condition did not render their removal necessary.
As to whether or not the sums of money, named were paid the President did not. inquire, but from inquiries that have been made the Board is informed that the price of prepar- ing plans for the alteration of cocklofts has reached the handsome sum of from $25 to $75 enchi, so that doubtless large sums of money have been paid to work the "oracle," viz., the parties entrusted with the preparation of such
These operations have been confined to the neighbourhoods effected by the bubonic plagu and within the limits defined by the Board under by-law No 22. Ordinance 15 of 1894. and no steps, as far as the Board is aware, have been taken by its officers other than those neces-plans. sary to thoroughly cleanse and disinfect pre- mises found in a dirty or insanitary condition.
Proceeding to the alleged facts contained in Mr. Danby's letter, Policemen No. 13 denies that on the afternoon of the 8th inst. he gave verbal notice to the owners of large hongs in Bonham Strand that the whitewashing brigade with its irresponsible contingent of soldiers and coolies were coming round next morning at 7.30 am. to pull down their cock lofts, &c. Mr. Danby fails to give the number of premises occupied by his client, so that further particular enquiry, as to alleged damage done to his clients cargo and stock-in-trade is not practicable.
Dr. Clark assures the Board that as far is practicable under the circumstances every con sideration has been shown to the owners and occupiers of preinises and as little damage done consistent with the prompt thorough cleansing and disinfection of the premises, and the Board dees bot admit that any unneces- sary damage has been done.
The next alleged fact is that the " gang pulled down legal socklofts and allowed illegal ones to remain.
It appears that Mr. Danby do. Lot know what cocklofts are legal and which are illegal, but the Board at once admits that whether the special provision of the Ordinances regarding certain structures are complied with or not, ff their removal is necessary for the thorough cleansing and disinfection of the premises they are removed, and many of the cocklofts removed were so rotten and filthy as in themselves cause a serious danger to health. whilst others obstructed windows and ventilating: openings.}
The statement relative to a rit to certain premises in company with Mr. Ede and Mr. McCallum is in the opinion of the Board calca. lated to give an incorrect impression.
The conduct of a certain policeman in reference to his action after receiving a note signed by the Secretary is too vague to admit of definite investigation, neither the number of policeman nor that of the premises referred to being given.
In reference to the removal of the sunsbade in front of No. 51. Bonham Strand and per- mission being givendo retain the one at No. 55 the following is, the explanation..
The former was in a very dirty and rotten coudition and was removed as a nuisance; the latter is in fairly good condition and has been recently painted.
In the concluding paragraph of the letter Mr. Danby states that his reason for writing "is that the regulations are not carried out cousistently without fear or favour," whilst in his letter to the President of the 16th inst. he
states that his "main object was to suggest that the goods and merchandise of these Chinese merchants and shopkeepers should be handled with a little more care and also that some-
reasonable time should be given to remove their own goods themselves should they wish to do so.’
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It appears to the Board that between the 14th and 16th inst. Mr. Danby obtained in- formation which caused him to shift his ground and to even doubt the accuracy of the plain statement of facts which he alleged had come under his own peral knowledge, in his lotter of the 14th inst.—I have, &c.,
··
H. MCCALLUM, Secretary, Sanitary Board.
To Hon. Colonial Secretary.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
For the week ended 9th May the death rate was 27.9 per 1,000 per annum against 17.5 for the corresponding period of last year. For the week ended 16th May the death rate was 28.7 against 15.5 for the corresponding period of last year.
These premises were situated in Wing Sing Street and though Mr. McCallum was at first of opinion that some cocklofts which had not Mr. EDE--Do you omit the last paragraph been removed were illegal, after studying the week.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Board adjourned until next Thursday.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.