80
The total sum paid to private medical practi- tioners for notifying such cases of communi- cable diseases as occurred amongst their patients during 1896 was $46.
The unfortunate prevalence of bubonic plague during the year caused the expenditure of a very considerable sum of money, viz., $42,856.39, in cleansing and lime-washing premises through- out the colony as well as in disinfecting those in which cases of bubonic plague occurred.
The carrying out of these cleansing opera- tions unfortunately gave rise to some litigation. As the circumstances connected with the four suits which were instituted against the majority, of the members of the Board have been fairly fully dealt with already, it does not appear to bé necessary to refer to them further in this report.
LAUNDRIES,
Only six of the public laundries have been let during the year. Owing to press of work, arising mainly from the prevalence of Bubonic plague during the greater part of the year, very little attention could be given to the various laundries throughout the City, and it is mainly owing to this that I attribute some of these public laundries remaining vacant so long
BAKERIES.
Nothing of special importance occurred during the year in connection with these food preparing establishments.
COMMON LODGING-HOUSES. .
The bye-laws for regulating these houses have been steadily enforced during the year. considerable number of lodging-houses exist However, there is reason for believing that a that have not yet been registered.
There is, for some reason not easily ander. stood, a strong objection on the part of some employers of labour, who lodge their workmen as a part payment of their wages, to register the premises in which they house their work men as common lodging-houses. It may be merely downright obstinacy, but I am strongly
inclined to think that in most cases it is due to
the Chinese notion that they have a right to house their servants as they please, no matter whether such housing is done in such a way as to be a danger to the public health or not.
OFFENSIVE TRADES.
Very considerable progress has been made in enforcing the provisions of the bye-laws for the regulating of these trades. It is true none of the premises were registered during the year, but the great majority of them have been put in accordance with the requirements of the bye-, laws and registration will follow in due course. NIGHTMEN,
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In October 1894 bye-laws were made by the Board providing for the registration and licensing of all persons following the calling of nightman. It was not, for various reasons, found practicable to enforce these bye-laws till September of 1896. When the nightmen found they had to be registered and licensed before they could lawfully ply their calling, they quietly but suddenly ceased to work without, in most cases if not in all, giving their employers any warning. This action on their part was a clear desertion of their employers' service and a punishable offence against the law of the colony. It was, to my mind, something of far more importance. It was, for all practical purposes, an open rebellion against a particular law of the colony and a de- flance to the authority of those responsible for enforcing all the laws of the colony. It was in no sense what is ordinarily known as a strike amongst a particular class of workmen because of a difference between themselves and their employers, but a deliberate attempt to compel the Government not to enforce the law. The only excuse these people can have for their action is, that it is by no means an uncommon mode of procedure in their own country and to them had probably the stamp of "old custom." The event, although causing much inconvenience and discomfort to householders, more especially to those who live in tenement dwellings, had no evil results so far as the public health of the Colony was con- cerned, and it will, I hope, have one good result, vis., the carrying out of the conservancy of the City by the rational means of a public contract or by the paid servants of the Board,
THE HONGKONG WÈEKLY PRESS AND
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instead of as at present by the irrational means of each householder making his own terms with his servant to do the very necessary work of cleansing his premises daily, every second day, or twice a week according to his ability and willingness to pay his servant.
THE "CHUNG NGOI SAN PO" ON THE DIAMOND
JUBILEE
On the 22nd June, the day appointed for the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee, the Chung Ngoi San Po published a metrical address to Her Majesty, most of the phrases being selected from the Chinese classics. The follow- ing is a rough translation, which conveys the sense but makes no attempt to follow the elegance of diction that characterises the original:
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This being the day appointed for the celebra tion of the completion of the sixtieth year of the reign of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen of Great Britain we beg to tender this address. Her Majesty has enjoyed a long life of over seven tens of years and has occupied the throne for sixty years. This is a most glorious record for which a parallel can hardly be found in the last ten centuries. All the friendly nations have sent representatives to be present at the celebration. The number of years that Her Majesty has reigned is equal to that of the Emperor Kin Loong. We, the Chung laws of Great Britain, should therefore present Ngoi San Po, being under the protection of the an address. Though we can neither make so
good a speech as Tsz Chan (au officer in the time Chan Chan), who was an excellent speaker, nor write so fine a composition as Tsu Ling (an officer of ancient times), we must try to do the best we can, so we make our address as follows:-In ancient times the most peaceful ruler in China was the Empress Tu War, and in the middle ages the reign of the Emperor In was the longest (100 years). The Sovereign of 'Great Britain is a woman who rules the Empire peacefully and is friendly with all other countries. As Her Majesty is both a peaceful ruler and has reignel so long a time she is equal both to the Empress Lu War and the Emperor In.
(July 7, 1897,
THE JUBILEE THANKSGIVING ! SERVICES.
The Rev. R. F. Cobbold, Chaplain of St. John's Cathedral, in his monthly "Notes" makes the following reference to the Th giving Services :—
memor-
The Thanksgiving Service on the occasion of the Queen's Great Jubilee was very well attended. There were over 800 seats in the Cathedral, and only a very few of the appro- priated ones were unoccupied. A large number of people stood in the doorways throughout the service, The Rev. G. R. Vallings, Garrison Chaplain, intoned the Prayers, the Rev. W Banister read the Lessons, and the Chaplain "God save the preached, using the text
Mr. A. G. Ward King" (1 Sam. x. 24). had taken great pains to train a specially augmented choir, and made excellent use of our beautiful organ. His solo, composed expressly for Gadsby's Anthem, " O Lord our Governor," fortunate in having Mr. Sliman to sing it. The was particularly appropriate; and we were seats in the chancel, in addition to those used by the choir, were occupied by His Excellency Legislative Councils, the General, the Com- the Governor, attended by the Executive and modore, the Jubilee Committee, and officers representing the Naval and Military Forces now in the Colony. On either side of the altar were displayed a large Royal Stand- ard and the Flag of S. George; and the Union Jack, with the Red, White, and Blue Ensigns, was suspended from the roof The Volunteers formed in two lines along the whole length of the nave, of the nave.
between which the Governor's procession passed, led by the choir and clergy. It is seldom that we are able to render such a service; but when it is remembered why all Church services are rendered it seems a pity that they do not more often approach the Thanksgiving of June 20th in heartiness and impressiveness. We were sorry that we had no Bishop to take part in this able service, no successor to Bishop Bur den having been yet appointed, though it is more than six months since the Bishopric became vacant. The offerings collected for the Organ Fund amounted to $462.29. The congregation in the evening was very small. She selects Her officers with care, appointing each to the office for which he is most suitable. She has appointed
as Salisbury Prime Minister, Lord post which he worthily fills, as Fu Ut was appointed Prime Minister by the Em- peror Ku Chung. [Reference is also made to the Prince of Wales's appointments and a parallel drawn with the appointment of Li Mok as Commander-in-Chief of the Land Forces by the King of the country of Chiu Great Britain has acquired large tracts of territory, while she herself has not for ages been invaded by an enemy. Prisoners are kindly treated, and learned men worthily received. Railways have been greatly extended, and the penny post was established during the Queen's Mr. Fong took the text " But seek ye first reign. Great Exhibitions were also initiated the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, in Her reign to promote friendship amongst and all these things shall be added unto you;" the nations. Museums have been erected, so
and, after referring to the teaching of Mencius that the knowledge of the people may be about a "nobility bestowed by Heaven" and enlarged. As Her Majesty's kindness has to Solomon's prayer for an *"understanding been shown to the people, no wonder is it that heart," in illustration of the life and character the country becomes more powerful day by day, of the Queen, the preacher spoke of Her Ma. even as the country of Chai, that knew how to jesty's devout spirit and active benevolence, her deal with public affairs properly, largely in-wise rule and long life. He quoted the Queen's creased its territory. India has greatly prospered saying that "the secret of England's greatness under Her Majesty's rule, and North Borneo, lies in the Bible;" and pointed to the results Labuan, and Natal have become British colonies. of seeking first the Kingdom of God. He con- The age of Her Majesty is now equal to that cluded, "We, who are not her subjects and yet of Lo Kwan, but is less than that of Ngan Tsz are one with them in the bond of a common by one year. Though the old Chinese phrase, "May Her Majesty pass four hundred kap taz (40,000 years), or May She live eight thousand years are absurd, yet we sincerely wish Her Majesty long life and happiness.
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We regret to learn, says the Shanghai Daily Press of 26th June, that the son of Mr. Limby was yesterday bitten by a dog, which it was feared was afflicted with rabies, and the lad will be sent immediately to Saigon to undergo the Pasteur treatment. The same dog is reported to have bitten four other foreigners and a Chinese amah, and to have since died.
In the afternoon the Cathedral was again crowded by a very large congregation composed of Chinese Christians in the Colony belonging to the Church of England and the various Protestant Missions. The service consisted of part of the Accession Service in the Prayer Book, translated by Dr. Chalmers, and hymns sung in Chinese by a Choir of 130 young people. Mr. A. J. May presided at the organ, and the singing of the National Anthem, the Old Hundredth, and "Now thank we all our God" was very hearty and impressive. Two earnest addresses were also given; one, in Cantonese, by the Rev. Fong Yat San of the C.M.S., and the other, in Hakka, by Mr. Li Shing Yau, of the Basel Mission.
faith, thank God to-day for the life and reign of the Queen of England. Members of the Body of Christ, and members one of another, it is our privilege to join in common praise, thanksgiving, and prayer for the Queen. May God protect her, and grant her the blessing of peace, and endue her richly with the Holy Spirit."
The address in the Hakka dialect was based upon the text "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land." Mr. Li passed in rapid succession the chief events in the life of the Queen, the facts of which confirmed the truth of the text. She
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