164
NATIVE DAIRIES AND THE
says
MILK SUPPLY.
The report presented to the Sanitary Board on the 24th Feb. by the Colonial Veter-. inary Surgeon with reference to the milk supply from native dairies is calculated to cause consumers
Mr. some uneasiness. LADDS that from the manner in which the milk is collected he should say that it would be very unwise to drink any of it, unless previously boiled, and even then he should hesitate to do so because of the risk to health which might arise from the consumption of such fluid. Hitherto con- sumers have been under the impression that they could secure absolutely pure milk by patronising one of the European dairies, but Mr. LADDS throws doubt on this, for, he Upon reference to the attached list, "it will be seen that all three of the dairy "farms have been buying milk from these "native cowsheds, one of them being in- "and in future their customers would do "directly supplied with milk from Canton; "well if in protection of their own interests "they were to insist upon a guarantee from
says:-
蠢
"
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
matters are really as bad as Mr. LADDS represents it is disgraceful that milk should be obtained from native dairies for the naval aud military hospitals.
NOTICE OF RESOLUTIONS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,
The Government, we think, will ou con- sideration recognise the justice of the un- official members' request that all motions to be brought forward in the Legislative Council should be set out at length on the agenda. It may be assumed that the members will probably have a general acquaintance with the subject matter of a resolution, but they are placed at an unfair disadvantage if they are kept in ignorance of the exact terms of the resolution until they hear them from the lips of the proposer. If the matter is one upon which they wish to nove amendment they are entitled to know the terms of the resolution in order that they may be able with due deliberation to draft which they cannot always be expected their amendment in accordance therewith,
an
to do in the heat of debate and without a copy of the resolution before them. "the dairy supplying them that they had al-The omission of the resolutions, and questions
together ceased from purchasing from out- "side sources." The dairy farmis may per- haps say that they do not purchase milk from the native cowsheds for the purpose of palming it off upon their customers as coming from their own cows, but for the purpose of feeding it to their calves, or for butter-making, or for other such purposes in connection with the working of their farms. Indeed we have known cases in which, upon its own supply of milk ruming short, a foreign dairy has informed its customers that it could only supply milk procured from native sources as a matter of convenience for the customers. Whether that is the rule or an exception we are unable to say, but the matter is in such a position that some explanation from the dairies seems called for in reply to Mr.
LADDS's strictures.
We must confess, however, that we would have liked more details as to the grounds on which Mr. LADDS bases his sweeping condemnation of the native dairies, for his report is couched in very general terms. It appears he was asked to report upon the milk supply of the Colony, "aud more "particularly as regards what becomes of "the milk which is collected in the cowsheds "owned by Chinese and Indians." Mr. LADDS Accordingly gives a list of the principal customers of each of the Indian and Chinese cowsheds, but as to the milk itself, he confines himself to saying that it would be unwise to drink it. It would appear from the minutes attached to the report that the Army and Navy draw their supplies from native sources, and with the strict medical surveillance exercised in these Services we should think that if the milk were really an effective source of danger it would soon be detected and the source of supply changed. There are also regulations in force for the control of dairies which are understood to ensure a supply of pure water for cleansing purposes, and the inspection should also be such as to ensure a reasonable observance of cleanliness. If the conditions under which the milk is collected are really as bad as would appear from Mr. LADDS's report it follows that the system of inspection must be radically defective, and this throws the responsibility upon the Government. It would be satisfactory, we think, if a small commission were appointed to visit the dairies in company with Mr. LADDS, the Naval and Army Medical Services being represented upon the commission. If
also, from the agenda is of quite recent date and we believe originated from a feeling of irritation on the part of the Government officials at certain rather long-winded re- solutions of which notice was given by the Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD, which swelled the agenda paper to rather porten- in the side of the Government and perhaps tous size. The hon. gentleman is a thorn it was thought undesirable to give him any measure of publicity that could possibly be avoided, or perhaps it was a mere coninci- dence, but certain it is that it was at a time when Mr. WHITEHEAD was rather prolific of long resolutions that the practice of printing them with the orders of the day was discontinued. General BLACK, we think, will recoguise the fairness of reverting to the old practice and of setting aside any paltry objections thereto. arising from official hostility to Mr. WHITEHEAD.
DISADVANTAGES OF BRITISH
SHIPPING.
WOS
[March 5, 1898, trading between ports where British reguln- tions do not apply, but when sailing from a British port it is a plain injustice that foreign vessel should be accorded any greater advantages than are enjoyed by vessels under the British flag.
TRICKS IN THE COAL TRADE:
:
In the speech made by the Chairman at the recent meeting of the Hongkong and Kow Loon Wharf and Godown Co., Limited, there is one unpleasantly suggestive passage, The handling and storage of coal, Mr. BELIA IRVING said, was a subject which had en- gaged the attention of the directors, but they found it impossible to improve matters to any extent, "for the reason that a public
(4
company cannot resort to those subtle ex- by means of which others, pediencies
We do not
in the same line of business, appear "to command so large a measure of suc " cess." The obvious suggestion is that
of a corrupt and dishonest nature. The the expediencies--("expedients" would be a more appropriate word)-referred to are subject is not a new one. before, but in conversation one often hears recollect having seen it so openly referred to curious tales about the way in which coal cargoes are weighed in and out and of the perquisites attaching to the trade. It would be well if the matter could be thoroughly ventilated, and Mr. BELL-IRVING's reference may possibly serve a useful purpose by
kind which it is difficult to detect. putting parties interested on the alert, though the practices complained of are of a
THE SITE OF THE DIAMOND JUBILEE HOSPITAL.
the e
It is with much pleasure we learn that the idea of placing the Diamond Jubilee Mem orial Hospital for Women and Children in the grounds attached to the Government Civil Hospital is being reconsidered. Af the time the Hospital was decided upon we urged that it should be placed on Bowen Road, or on some other site at a reasonable distance from Chinatown. Although pediency of this was recognised by many, the decision at that time was in favour of the site in the Civil Hospital grounds, although it had been officially declared that those ground were already over-crowded. Apparently the objections to that site have now been recognised, and the present proposal is to buy Craigieburn, at the Peak. Perhap the Peak will prove a better site than Bowe Road, but it is at all events a matter fo
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congratulation that the institution is not t be placed on the site originally decided upon.
British shipowners complain of the dis- advantage at which they are placed owing to the greater stringency of the British mer- chant shipping law as compared with that of other countries. The load line regulations are a particular grievance, as they compel British ships to carry relatively less cargo than foreigu vessels. We have seen it suggested that these regulations should be repealed on the ground that they are no longer necessary, shipowners and insurance companies being very well able to take care of themselves. No one, we think, has ever
Telegrams to the Manila Comercio state tha entertained much doubt about the ability the disaster to the Maine at Havana was cause of shipowners and insurance companies by the dynamos of the electric light installatio in the direction indicated; it not communicating fire to the magazine, whic for their protection that the load line caused an explosion of the powder and torpedo regulations were introduced, but for the blowing up the ship with the benefit of the seaman, to prevent the Two hundred and eighty" loss of life that formerly occurred through hundreds injured. The greater number of th survivors were picked up by boats from t sending overloaded ships to sea. There is
Spanish cruiser Alfonse XIII. therefore not much prospect of the legislature repealing the law now in force, but greater equality between British and foreign ships might be established by requiring foreign vessels sailing out of a British port to comply with the British regulations. They alrendy have to do so with regard to the carrying of emigrants, and there is no good reason why they should not equally be required to do so with regard to cargo. This would not bring about absolute equality, for foreign vessels would still have an advantage when
were
of the ore killed an
A San Francisco paper says that the Britis steamer Commonwealth, 6,000 tons, having bẽ abandoned on the coast of Vancouver Islan and picked up by the steamer Willapa," w safely anchored in Sidney Inlet. The Commo wealth was bound from Kobe to Portland; broke her shaft. She drifted for three we The anchor chains parted, and the crew took the boats in panic and made Innd safely. Willapa, having towed the abandoned vessel safely, went in search of the crew, and pict them up about twenty-five miles distant.
and finally came to anchor near Nootka So
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