THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[Bøptember 16, 1899
H
with | year they had their rainy season, and it would | lawnof the colony would allow
be almost impossible to get dry earth without one the great curses of some artificial means of drying it. There was sanitary point of view was the neglect also the monetary consideration: At present earliest ages to make certain necessary they got 830,000 a year from the contractor, visions in connection with houses. One great who also paid the expenses incurred in collection. drawback was the height of buildings As to the anggestion that if they adopted this people built a four-storey house in a ten: yard with system they would rid the colony of plague, he street and it could not be interfe
length thought that that was going too far. Although because it had been built a certai earth was a deodorant he did not think they of time. The same thing might happen over could say it was a disinfectant. He thought and over again, and he thought it was their the whole matter required careful consideration, duty to prepare against any such contingenov
The Hon. R. D. ORMSEY said he would like by applying not only all existing to add that they would not be trying a new but all future laws to the littoral oppo experiment exactly, because the system he advo- failed to see any difficulty whatever in cated had been in use in the Gaol for upwards, the Building Ordinance to the territo of 500 persons for a considerable time. He opposite side of the harbour, it already might also add that it was intended to substit- to such villages as Shaukiwan. and ate dry earth closets for water closets in the bar Director of Public Works knew they had racks, and it was proposed to do the same in the recently had stone houses built there in Naval Yard. He did not expect they would have 'ance with the Ordinance. any difficulty in getting dry earth. He thought the quantity required had been very largely ex- aggerated in some reports. If they had a recep- tacle in each latrine which could be filled on dry days, there should be no reason why there should be mud instead of dry earth. In Colom- bo there was the same rainfall as at Hongkong," and yet there was never sny difficulty there in obtaining dry earth.
rring the Having system was endsystem, Mr. Ormsby said experience in another colony arth: prstem was in almost und where oven in such large buildings as the Grand Oriental aboino bad! umells were at any iblic. In Hongkong they had an example of how efficiently this bbs workedții Havreferred to the Ghols He had frequently gone building containing over 500 found it to be ani free from evil the best kept Huropean Houses. refer to the public latrines in Thile visiting that city this year he morne ofstienos buildings and noted that very much less offensive than those koug, owing evidently to the liberal use looked to him like sawdust Mr. Chad kis report on the sanitary condition of ngodid not say much about the dry ukemaja anda woomed chiefly to have Vinduenced by the difficulty of obtain- propery, earthy and the largely increased material etos be removed daily. In |244 le · naid-“No town any size
isto introduce the dry earth|| lerbody. It meeras - most applicable latrinese where a person can be cons-have a definite soheme to put before the Govern-dreds of houses in Hongkong and in the
t
i employed to apply the earth?"- That was wakatu was done in Colombo. The ging contractor was obliged to keep the of dry earth. in thé, place reserved for in«ench latrine, and the coolie in Hirow a suffiment quantity of it into bucket after it had been used. The poi-
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The VICE-PRESIDENT thought the system proposed was a desirable one, but they must
ment. If it were carried out it would un- doubtedly cost money, and there were various details that had to be worked out. Therefore he should vote for the amendment.
The amendment was carried, all voting for
it.
THE NEW TERRITORY,
The next item on the agenda was "The question of extending certain of the Sanitary Laws of the colony into a portion of the New Territory,"
tures of the contents of the public Intrines in Hongkong was abundantly proved Dr. Lowson's figures of the mortality among paravim 1894, eleven men out of 17, or per cent, having died of plague: This!
The PRESIDENT thought all the Sanitary cortality was decreased in subsequent Laws at present in force in the colony should be thenes of disinfectants and more re-made applicable to the portion of the New Ter- cleaning It would be interesting to ritory in question. It was not necessary that if any men in the Gaol, where earth was they should be enforced, He also thought they employed in cleaning and attending to the should include the Building Ordinance and the ines dieuses (The VICE-PRESIDENT: There Slaughterhouse Ordinance. sɛbeenɛno case of plague (among the men whoj away the nightsoil) He was not prepared to go further into the subject them, but would sexmmend that the matter be taken into con- mon, and perhaps the Medical Officer of Baltki wonki: undertake to report to the Board ow) the system could be introduced into Hong- kong
The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY said, that, if the proposal was merely that the Sanitary Laws of the colony should apply to the other side he should not be prepared to oppose it, although he thought it was rather "udden and required a little more considération. As regarded the Building Ordinance, he was certainly of opinion it would be a great mistake to apply this elo- borate city Ordinance, which was not applicable he still said to their own purpose in Hongkong, to the New Territory. He could find hun- outlying villages where the Ordinance did not apply. This was a matter they ought not to be in a hurry about. If a man was going to put up a large factory or building of that sort he would have to purchase the land from the Crown, in which case he might be asked to send in his plans, and the plans could' be considered. This would prevent insanitary blocks of build. ings being put up.
to
He said that no one would be bold enough
Mr OSBORNE spoke in favour of the motion. try to enforce these Building Regulations in every little hamlet on the other side, so that no harm would be done but a great deal of good by their being in a position if occasion arose to prevent the erection of insanitary build- ings which might spring up.
The VICE-PRESIDENT thoroughly endorsed what Mr. Osborne had said and advanced further arguments in favour of his proposition.
On the matter being put to the vote the
The Hon. B. D. ORMSBY said he had always considered that B-nominal law was a great mistake. and might be made a source of oppression. Asi to the Building Ordinance, it was a very elabor-motion was carried. ate one for a city, and to make it apply to a village in the New Territory would be absurd.
AN APPLICATION GRANTED.
An application for permission to erect two urinals in a house to be rented by the R. A. Officers' Mess was referred to the surveyor.j
RINDERPEST.
Mr. A. Watson, Acting Inspector of Live Stook. reported to the Acting Medical Officer on the 7th September that two animals admitted into the Cattle Depot from Kowloon on the 5th instant subsequently appeared to be sick. On the morning of the 7th instant one of the an- imals was found dead, and from an examination of the carcase the Inspector was of opinion that it died from rinderpest. The other was still ander observation. Reporting on the 9th inst. the Inspector said the animal having developed
of sickness he passed it
The VICE-PRESIDENT said the particular portion of the New Territory referred to was the UME OSBORKA, after a pause, seconded. He littoral from Lyenmoon to Lychaikok, which *ked that he thought there would be great was eliminated from the Local Communities dificulties in the way of introducing this dry Ordinance. It was not likely that as far as the earth system, but Mr. Ormsby had given them Building Ordinance was concerned the applica- very good reasons why they should try to intro- tion of that law to the New Territory would it, and he certainly thought they ought to involve any great hardship. New houses and ** They might begin in a small way. They now buildings which would be erected would
take one latring for a few months and be houses and buildings for industrial pur luos the system gradually. They, would poses or for the accommodation of artisaus, nas meet with the opposition of the con-coolies, and labourers. In fact there was no or and the Chinese; generally, and throw doubt that in the course of years places like work, on, the, European inspectors. In Kowloon City and Teat Tsui Po would grow experiment, would be fraught with into large villages like Yaumati and Hunghom.
erary side; but still he thought it|| Therefore he thought it was most important no farther symptoms o those experiments they ought to that all the Sanitary Laws and all the Building view to ridding the colony of plague. Laws and every other law which applied in this d if they failed, no harm would be done.
colony should apply to the places in question. Dr. CLARK thought the resolution betrayed|| If they were going to have one set of laws in too much haste.... If they were to abide by the Hongkong, another set for this particular they, practically put the scheme into portion of the New Territory, and another set M membera knew, they for the territory behind the hills they would get which did not expire until into such a muddle that no one would know 1891.* Pondbly that contract might where they were. There were various other but the like to move as an laws which might be applied to these places
his matter ́ be referred the Licensing Laws, for instance. It was very onsideration to sub-committee desirable at certain times to license chairs, but then the whole, mafter could they could not do it because the laws did not apply. arefully. It wAS very large He begged to move that they ask the Govern-
They had to consider many ment to apply the whole of the laws of Hong possible Fong as they stand to that portion of the New Territory which has not been included in the cžota and sub-districts into which, the New ory has been dirided under the Local Com
Ordinance.
dment. was more):
CLARK, in seconding, said he quite
sident that it
of the health of- the
and had it alaughtered.ultant you a
Dr. Lowson (then Acting Medical Offer of Health) reported on the 7th inst. Iregret to report that yesterday four animals (three bullocks and one heifer) were admitted, to the
observation shed at Lap Sup Wan with signs of rinderpeet. I saw them this morning("They
·were suffering so severely from rinderpest the anticipating sanotion I ordered them destroyed at once, as they were in a pain condition. They arrived from Nam Tau yester day the same place as the two came from which were affected at Kowloon Depôt earlier in the
ok. I have no doubt the Chinamen: know they were sick when they were imported. No compensation is paid in this case,
ASTAGA MORTALITY RETURNS, The mortality statistics for Hongkong for the week ended showed a dea rate of 197, and 19 1for
tality retur
owed 8%0
This was all the busin
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