The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1896-12-23 — Page 8

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

possibly to offer better terms than have been offered, but the new scheme can be carefully worked out pending the occurrence of vacancies which will enable it

be carried into effect.

.t

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

J. CHAMBERLAIN: Governor Sir W. Robinson, K.C.M.G.,

*&c. &c.,,&o.

:

hich attention had been called in the report the Retrenchment Committee. You state that you have again consulted the gentlemen who constituted the Retrenchment Committee well as Mr. McConachie and Mr. Belilios and the members of your Executive, Council, and that there is practically; an unanimous opinion that the Government should be held directly responsible for the sanitation of the colony. Your own view is to the same effect, and you recommend that "the Sanitary Board as at pre- sent constituted be abolished and that the Head of the Medical Department of this colony, who-stitution of the Medical Department. should be styled Principal Civil Medical Officer, be made responsible not only for the work of that department but also for the sanitary work. of the colony other than that of an engineer ing nature which should be placed under the Director of Public Works." -

3-I am not prepared to controvert the opinion which has been thus given after long attention to the subject and consultation with representative residents in the colony. Sanita- tion is so all important in Hongkong that it seems only right that it should be under the direct control of the Colonial Government and that responsibility in the matter should not be divided; but I consider it to be desirable that before the Sanitary Board is definitely abolished, there should be some resolution or expression of opinion to that effect on the part of the Législative Council, and I would ask you to invite them to favour me with a formal pro- nouncement of their views as soon as may be

convenient.

4.In the meantime I have not tendered and do not propose to tender any advice to Her Majesty in respect of Ordinances No. 9 and No. 11 of 1895 enclosed in your despatches No. 131 of the 23rd of April and No. 177 of the 4th of June, inasmuch as they imply the continued existence of the Sapitary Board.

"

The remainder of this despatch deals with the Con-

THE GOVERNOR TO THE SECRETARY· OF STATE

Government House, Hongkong, 2nd December, 1895. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 229 of the 18th September last, on the subject of the Sanitary Board and Medical Staff of the colony.

2. In the course of your remarks on the frmer important question, you refer to the unanimous opinion held by the unofficial mem bers of the Legislative Council in favour of the direct responsibility of the Government for the sanitation of the colony, and you naturally draw the inference that this unanimity extends to the practical side of the question.

3-From the enclosed written opinions of the several unofficial members (with the ex ception of Mr. Whitehead) you will learn that and that this is, unfortunately, not the case,. there is a considerable divergence of views on the practical point at issue,

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Afterwards, despatch No. 337

was willing majority of the Legislative according to which tated of thr bors, though responsibility would arrangement. The adop compromise having been sanotion Ordinance embodying it was introduced into the Legislative Council Before, however, it was read a first time it becar would not prove.

British residents

thi

ascertain what British community, should be taken. – Arra

ingly made, and a plebiscite munity, exclusive of

4.—I consider it would be futile to formally approach the Legislative Council on the subject of the abolition of the Sanitary Board, and the and Civil Services, was held,

mitted to the voters, being only alternative that occurs to me is to adopt

tary Board should, consist the opinion shared by the majority of the unofficials or of unofficials. official members, viz., Messrs. Keswick, Chater, plebiscite was that 331 McConachie, and Bell-Irving.

5.-I accordingly submit for your considera- tion the enclosed draft Bill for the recon-

stitution of the Sanitary Board on the lines suggested by those gentlemen, from which you will observe that it is proposed that the new Board shall consist of three officials, viz., the Colonial Surgeon, the Director of Public Works, and the Captain Superintendent of Police, and two unofficial members to be elected by the ratepayers.

5.In the event of the Sanitary Board being abolished you propose that the Medical Depart- thent and Sanitary Department should be com- bined and that the Head of the Medical Depart ment should be held responsible for the sanita. tion of the colony. I am inclined to agree with you, though the view does not seem to be shared by the Committee which has lately reported upon the Medical Department, and whose report states (page iii.) that the Health Officer for the colony should in "our opinion have no connec tion whatever with the medical staff proper.' 6-Iu view of my previously expressed The paragraph, however, in which these words opinion on this subject cannot pretend occur assumes the continuance of the Sanitary regard the proposed new Board as entirely Board, and it may, I think, be concluded that in satisfactory. It will certainly prove better the absence of such a Board the Principal Medi- adapted to fulfil its objects more speedily and cal Officer and his staff should be entrusted with effectively than the Board as at present consti- and held responsible for the discharge of sanitated, but on he other hand it must neces- fary as well as purely medical duties as was sng sarily involve, even though it be only in a gested by Lord Ripon,

minor degree, division of responsibility. I am unwilling, however, to press my views in n dus opposition to public opinion as represented by the unofficial members of Council, and I am unable to devise a more satisfactory compromise than that contained in the draft Bill.

6.--Under the new conditions you consider that the Head of the Medical Department should have at least four assistants, none of whom as had already been suggested in my predecessor's despatch to which I have just referred-should be appointed exclusively for particular duties, and in your despatch No. 173 of the 30th of May last you express a strong opinion, which I accept, that none of the medical officers should be allowed any private practice beyond fees for consultation. The sanitary staff, you add,, should be placed under the Principal Medical Officer, the office of Secretary to the Sanitary Board being retained (necessarily with some change of title), but the duties of Sanitary Superintendent being entrusted to one of the medical assistants deputed to act as Officer of Health. On this point I would suggest that the Principal Medical Officer should be formally recognised as the responsible Health Officer of the colony, leaving him to apportion the sanitary and medical duties among his assistants as he thinks fit, and in this you will probably agree with me. You consider that it will suffice if he is given four assistants, but I should doubt whether four will be able successfully to carry on all the medical and sanitary work of the colony when the post of Sanitary Superintendent becomes vacant aud the duties attached to that post devolve upon, one, or other of the members of the medical staff, even thongh the whole time of all these officers will be doroted to the Government service. It may be also necessary to re-arrange the galaries and

7-As it is very important that this ques- tion should be settled as soon as possible, I shall be glad if you will convey your decision to me by telegraph at the earliest possible date- have the honour to bo, sir, your most obedient,

humble servant,

W. ROBINSON,

Governor,

The Right Honourable Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, &c., &o, &o. 1· * Printed in Sessional Paper No. 7 of 1896.

† Already printed and circulated to members of the Legislative Council.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR.

Downing Street,

21st February, 1896. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 337 of the 2nd of December enclosing a draft Ordinance for the reconstitution of the Sanitary Board.

Under the circumstances set forth in your despatch I approve of the introduction of this Ordinance and telegraphed to you accordingly on the 13th instant I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant

J CHAMBERLAIN.

Governor Sir W. Robinson, KCMG,

&o, &c.

proposed you an

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Among the former only three or four Chinese official majority and 31 for an offic voted and among the latter none.

331

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From this plebiscitum it British residents are in favour which should be controlled by unofficial

In view of my previously opinion on the importance of undivided sibility in sanitary matters, it sary for me to state that I am not in favour of a Board the responsibility of whiche divided and which will exercise its independently of Government from the working of the pre consists of an official and the latter of which pr considered that a mixed co as is now provided for, in practice and leads to co fact, this seems to be not - result of attempts to graft on a Cr constitution popular institutions, w ander such conditions. appear suited to work smoothly

hich icial element,

5. After carefully considering the qu of the constitution of the Ba of opinion that in orde responsibility, the sanitar should either be placed ment c control or should composed entirely

6. In view of the

Hongkong and of is chiefly made

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