490
GENERAL BLACK'S FAREWELL ADDRESS.
[November 28, 1898.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ference that will excite interest is that to of human beings in many cases, literally the Jubilee Road round the island. A
"stand back to back in the City of Victoria, trace has been made with easy gradients, | ..
containing rooms into which the sun (Daily Press, 24th November.)
and,
His Excellency says, offers in the never enters, and where the fetid nir has The tone of the farewell address delivered section between Aberdeen and Deep Water no motion. Doctors and physic, good at the meeting of the Legislative Council Bay an important sanitary reform, for part though they be by themselves, are on Tuesday by Major-General WILSONE of the scheme is to fill up and turf over BLACK will intensify the public regret felt the festering inlet to which the leading
powerless to cure, while sun and air are a at His Excellency's approuching departure. medical men of the colony point as the
sure preventive; and great as the task may be of bringing these natural agents There is a total absence of self-laudation
source of the malaria which has so long into this reeking mass of humanity their or posing for effect in the address, which is marred the health of Aberdeen and the
"admission must be secured by law. a plain, straightforward, and dignified neighbourhood of Magazine Gap.
"I have
"Bill is now before you which I admit statement of the history of the eventful ten
nothing but the good of the community
"does not go far enough, but it will at months during which he has conducted the
at heart," he continues, "and I emphatic-
"least be the beginning of a great reform." administration. Debatable points are touched ally state that if you believe medical Buildings erected on land purchased from upon necessarily, but in such a way as must testimony, it is your duty to decree that the Crown since the passing of the Public command the respect even of those who may "this section be the first taken in hand." Health Act of 1887 are required to have, happen to differ from His Excellency. The majority of the subscribers to the fund under the provisions of that Act, a backyard After referring to the plague, the Spanish-will, we believe, agree with His Excellency along the entire width of such buildings, American war, and the arrival of Prince that the section he indicates should be the width of such backyard, in the HENRY, the important subject of the first taken in hand, not so much perhaps
case of buildings of two or more storeys, extension of the colony and the position on sanitary grounds-for sanitary affairs being at least 15ft. But the Public Health of the Chinese Customs is 'reached. General are a matter for the Government and the Act of 1887 left buildings on land that had BLACK says it seems to be only just and expenditure in connection therewith should been acquired before the date of that Act necessary that the Customs stations should full ou the general revenue--but because untouched as regards the provision of open recede with the new boundary, for it would that section would be more useful in be an abdication of sovereignty if a foreign facilitating locomotion round the island spaces. This omission is remedied in the power were allowed to exercise control than the Kennedytown section. Some of the that every domestic building in the colony within British waters. In that expression of | inore active of the promoters of the Jubilee | already erected or now in process of erection Bill now before the Council, which provides
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18
opinion the whole colony will heartily agree with His Excellency. "At the same time," he goes on to say, "I recognize that it is "right that we should aid the friendly "Government of China in her task of protecting her revenue, made so difficult by the indented nature of the coast line, "and to this end I have suggested that opium should be stored in Government godowns, and only issued on Government permit." This corresponds with the opinion lately expressed by the Chamber of Commerce on the subject and the proposal will probably commend itself to the majority of the community, though there will no doubt be some dissentients. The establish- ment of a bonded warehouse was mooted at the time the Opium Convention
家源
was
negotiated, but public opinion was not then ripe for the proposal, which was not pressed. Had it been carried into effect at that time we might possibly have had no Customs questions at all to discuss, as the Chinese might have been willing at that time to have removed the stations altogether. In connection with this subject there is one point on which His Excellency is silent, namely, the question whether, when the new arrangements come
(5
Road, however, strongly favour the latter, shall be provided at the expense of the and the question will no doubt be fully owner with an open space in the rear in debated when the new Governor arrives. accordance with a fixed scale. This Passing on, General BLACK made a brief
scale differs from the recommendations reference to the financial position, in con-
made in the report of the Insanitary nection with which he made the remark Properties Commission and the subsequent that taxation is light in the colony, a state-recommendations of the Sanitary Board. ment to which exceptiou may be taken. The Commission recommended simply that The taxation per head is naturally much the open space should be not less than 40 lighter than in England if we look only at the actual amount collected, but if regard square feet. The Sanitary Board introduced a scale, the recommendation of that body be had to the character of the population being as follows:-" Every house should and the lower rate of wages it will be found to
have an open space in the rear, of the area press as heavily here as there, if not more so. "mentioned in the following table, which
IC
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In the concluding portion of his address His Excellency said:"It is beyond my province to do more than allude to the great dramas that have been and are being "enacted around us. We live in a history- making epoch and changes are now in progess which will powerfully affect the "future destinies of the five great nations of "the world. Little Hongkong is not far " removed from the centre of action and its "rulers may have a word to say to the shaping of events." In so far as General BLACK may have had a word to say in the shaping of events during the past ten
(
months we have no doubt it has been a wise
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1
area should extend for at least half the "width of the house and from the back "wall of such house to the line of division "between it and the adjoining house or property-Houses exceeding 40 ft. in depth, 50 sq. ft.; exceeding 40 ft. not exceeding 50 ft., 90 sq. ft.; exceeding 50 "ft, not exceeding 60 ft., 130 sq. ft.; ex- "ceeding 60 ft., 175 sq. ft." The Bill now under consideration provides two scales, one for houses already erected or in course of erection, and the other for houses hereafter erected. Existing houses not exceeding 40 ft. in depth are required to have an open
into force, the Customs should be allowed word. In our local affairs his administration / Space of not less than 4 sq. ft. for each ft. of
to retain in the colony an agency on an has been completely successful, and in unofficial basis, that is, having no legal larger matters of an international character authority under English law and enjoying his opinion should command confidence and no immunities. This is simply a question respect by reason of his sound judgment, of convenience. When Sir RICHARD MAC his experience, and his ability to take a NELL suppressed the offices established | broadminded view of any subject that may the colony to collect duty in the old be presented to him. native Customs days the Chinese merchants, Dr. EITEL tells us in his History of Hong- kong, "found it to be to their own interest "and convenience to obtain passes in town, "at the secret taxing offices which continued "to flourish on the sly, rather than risk "the delay and uncertainty of payments
inade at the outside stations."
THE NEW SANITARY BILL.
width; exceeding 40 ft. but not exceeding 50 ft., 6 sq. ft.; exceeding 50 ft. but not exceeding 60 ft., 8 sq. ft.; and exceeding 60 ft., 12 sq. ft. for each ft. of width. Taking the width of the house as 15 ft. a house of the smallest depth would have to have an open space of 60 ft., while in the case of 60 houses of the same width and exceeding ft. in depth the area of the open space. re- quired would be 180 ft., as against the 40 ft. recommended by the Insanitary Pro- (Daily Press, 25th November.) The Bill to make further provision for the perties Commission and the maximum of 175 sanitation of the Colony has been long ft. recommended by the Sanitary Board. This pending, and, after the report of the In-scale is largely increased for houses to be hereafter erected, the open area required sanitary Properties Commission and recom-
being doubled in the case of houses of the Amongst other subjects touched upon mendations of the Sanitary Board, its pro- smallest depth and increased by one-sixth by His Excellency is that of the Post visions will not cause surprise nor, we hope, in those of the greatest depth. Office, concerning which he says that he excite opposition as regards its principle, has submitted recommendations to the though on points of detail there will inevit- Secretary of State which will, he trusts, ably be differences of opinion. The necessity produce great improvement in this depart for the Bill could not be more adequately set ment, in whose well-being every individual out than it was in the Acting Governor's is concerned. The nature of the recom- farewell address at the meeting of the mendations made was not disclosed, but we Legislative Council on Tuesday, in which hope they may be found to contain a His Excellency said "The recurrence of request for skilled assistance from St," the plague has forced on every thinking Martins-le-Grand, as has been previously man the need of letting light and air into "the blocks of Chinese houses which, full suggested in this column. Another re-
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The amount of open space provided by the Bill is none too great, but its increase beyond the limits previously recommended will necessarily affect more seriously the interests of the property owners and increase the number of cases in which resumption The Insanitary becoine necessary. may Properties Commission contemplated that the provision of even 40 ft. areas might in some cases leave the existing houses more
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