with i
25, 1901.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the Government could expend a million dlolars no more grasped the requirements of the future in reserving an area for Europeans. Another traffic than they grasped the requirements for area which was suggested the Government had Kowloon Water Supply or for storm water been prevented acquiring by the military going outlets on the road beyond Kowloon City. You have heard enough about Kowloon water, Dr. HARTIGAN -Shall I be in order
and as for the last name1, you will find The Hon. F. H. MAY-No, you are not in the road a wreck to this day. Errors in order.
road and sidepath making are serious and pensive, and the short sighted policy of narrow roads and sidepaths ought to be stoppel. London is widening the Strand and Fleet street at the rates of 6 and 8 millions re- spectively per mile, and enormous expense will be necessary in Kowloon in the not distant future, if streets are not made wider. Wide
Dr. HARTIGAN was proceeding when The Hon. F. H. MAY again interrupted him, observing-" You shut my mouth before, and I will shut yours now."
insanitary property, and to introduce fur- ther legislation in regard to the excessive height of buildings. That clause was cut out of the Ordinance of the year before last and out of 24 of 1887, but it was one of the most im-there. portant in his opinion. It was far more impor tant than any other point in connection with the sanitary reform of the colony. Then the Board asked the Government to consider the question of forming a subordinate medical and sanitary staff for dealing with epidemics, but had had no reply to their suggestion. The Government in July last gave the Board to understand that they would erect houses in Taipingshan for the European staff of the Board, and yet there was no mention of that in the esti- mates for this year. He felt bound to supporting the resolution of Mr. Osborne on the ground that until these recommendations had been| carried out, the Government could hardly be expected to undertake any large scloms of re form.
MAJOR BROWN also notified his intention of supporting the motion, observing that though he did not consider it the duty of the Board to make a condition with the Goverment, still when the Board did work they liked to feel there was some return for it
Was
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On the motion beng put to the meeting it was carried.
THE SCAVENGING OF KOWLOON.
tion on the side-walks in the future."
The motion was carried,
THE REMOVAL OF DEAD PIGS FROM THE ANIMAL DEPOTS.
Animal Depôts at Kennedytown, reported as Inspector Watson, who is in charge of the follows on the 17th December to Mr. C. V. Ladds (the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon) :
Major Brown had given notice of the follow-streets and wide sidepaths are essential tɔ
motion :-
health. They increase traffic and they save That the Board draw the attention of the time. Government-(1) to the fact that the Kowloon and narrow sidewalks become rubbish heaps. Narrow streets have the opposite effect scavenging contractor is nuable to carry out Regarding Police supervision of street obstruc condition No. 1 of his contract, namely, the tion, in England all obstructions on side walks daily sweeping and cleansing of side-walks, are at once removed by order of the police, but owing to the low vegetation, undesirable trees, in Kaulung District polica supervision is in this and refuse heaps which now obstruct them; (2) matter conspicuous by its absence. Apparently to the desirability of orders being issued to the any Chinaman can block any side walk without Police to prevent the recurrence of any obstruc- any fear of the police. The facts mentioned in connection with the first part of my motion prove Major BROWN said-If you look at the con- this, and if anyone doubts it let him walk ditions of the scavenging contract for Kowloon through Kaulung and Yaumati. I think strict you will see in the 1st paragraph that he shall orders should be issued to the police' to prevent daily sweep and cleanse the surface of the side anyone depositing earth, stones, or any rubbish, walk, in the villages of Kaulung point, Hang-on any side walk or obstructing the side walks ham, Yaumat, andTaikoktsui. This is very satis by any produce or other goods, unless while in factory, but if you walk round the places named the act of carrying them across, commencing from Elgin Road you will find
Mr. McKIE in seconding, said he was quite that the sidewalks are used for every other sure that if the matter were brought before the purpose than that for which they were intended Government it would be attended to. They are made use of as the most convenient The Hon. F. H. MAY said he proposed to place to deposit refuse of all kinds, from old tins vots against the motion. Ho said that when to the spare earth left over after a house build-Europeans, especially members of the army and ing or road-repairing contract. Low bushes navy, stopped from walking in the middle of and high bamboos which make handy latrines the road he would clear the side-walks and not to the passing stranger, grow on them. In Yau- till then. He added that at the next meeting of mati the shopmen encroach on them and use the Board he proposed to move a resolution to th› them as their own private and lawful property, effect that before the open spaces on the pro- and not once but several times. I have seen posed reclamation at Praya East be decided thom obstructed by the tables and chairs of upon the matter be referred to the Board for a Chinese eating-house keeper, who used the their consideration and advice. whole width of the pavement as his public dining room. They are also used as drying grounds for orange peel, for tea leaves, and for clothes. You will also find hand trollies, and building materials, effectually blocking them. and last of all as you return from Yaumati to the Ferry Pier you will find for some dis- tanca the side path taken up by Admiralty coal. With this state of things it is impossible for Depots were opened this morning I saw blood "I beg to report that when the Animal the contractor to sweep and clean these side-in one of the swine pens, and traced it on top walks, and 11 these obstructions should be re- moved. The fault originally lies with the Public Works Department for making narrow 3 to 7 feet sideways. Such paths are no use to the 10 to 21,000 foot passengers that pass along these streets in the day. Thus they are not used, and they become rubbish heaps and nuisances. We shall be told that the Chinaman will not use sidewarks, but this is the greatest possible mis- take. No one likes a sidewalk where he will not be jostled better than a Chinaman, and where there are proper sidewalks as opposite the Hongkong and also to put a stop to the removal of dead "In order to prevent such thefts n future, and Shanghai Bank, you will scarcely ever see a Chinaman walking in the road. The road which up to now
pigs from these premises during the night, and side walk requirements of Kaulung district
has been of frequent have not received proper attention, and show a Government be asked to place the Animal occurrence, I beg to recommend that the surprising want of foresight. As an example of this look at sharp turns when crossing Robin. Dapots at Kennedytown ander police super- son Road from Elgin Road, and yet I suppose nightly. The other alternative course is to so vision from the hours of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every official who passed that scheme is drawing fonce in those depots as to render impossible his fall pension, and never thinks of the annoy the removal therefrom of any sheep or pigs ance daily caused by his stupid and irreparable without the knowledge of the Inspector-in- mistake. Schemes for road and sidewalks a bystander would imagine should be based upon party and under their supervision, I presume charge. These depots being Government pro the probable future density of the neighbour: the Government will make good to the owner of hood, and the prospective footpassenger_and road traffic, but the schemes of the P. W. D. in the stolen pig the loss which he has sustained,"* Kowloon show no foresight. They are a very Ormsby as to whether watchmen were employed Answering a query by the Hon. R. D. tight fit for present needs, and in a year or so will be too small, allowing for the growth_at
by the Board, the present rate of this new population. For The Secretary wrote :—“ No. Four watchmen instance take the main road at Yaumati just (one night and three day watchmen) were for beyond the waterworks engine house, the 50ft. merly employed, but their services were dispen- road with a narrow side walk is already too sed with in March, 1899:" narrow for the traffic and yet this is the main road into China, to accommodate trams, motor- cars, rickshaws, bicycles, carts and ladened coolies. The dimensions are inadequate, a 100-foot road and a 15-foot side walk are the very smallest, compatible with comfort. The P.W.D. have
Mr. OSBORNE said Mr. May had charged him with dealing with generalities, but he thought that charge had been fully met by Dr. Clark. He had contended that one of the first things the Government should tackle the terrible question of overcrowding. It must be common knowledge to every mem. ber of the Board the appalling condition of rents in this Colony, the way that the poorer classes were being literally robbed and squeezed out of their food and clothing in order to pay excessive rents. Floors, which a year ago were rented at $6 now paid $19, which meant that the poorer classes had to hord and crowd to- gether much more closely than before.. It was not in their power to obey the law, because they did not earn sufficient to do so, and they had to starve their stomachs and backs to pay these excessive rents. The Government could do one thing with the Taipingshan area-they could do what any private individual would do if he had the ground. They could build on it. They could have done so two years ago. The Board recommended them to do so, and it would have been so much relief to that part of the town had the recommendation been carried out. Mr. May had stated that the Government had done a great deal to meet the wishes of the Board, and it was only fair to say that in one sense he was right.. His Excellency the Governor had taken a personal interest in these matters, much more so than any of his predecessors that he knew of. He had put forth the schemes and the proposals which the Sauitary Board had made and they wore nów assuming a tangible form. He was sure the colony was grateful to His Excellency for what he had done. But they wanted more; when their recommendations were rejected, they wanted to know why they were ro- jected, and not a mere Yes" or "No." They wanted the public of the colony to know the reason. If it was a question of funds that was a sufficient reason. No one would cavil at that. But when the Board asked for things and they got the answer "No," that was not satisfactory, THE PRESIDENT said he could not support the motion because it seemed to imply a want confidence in the Governor, who took an extreme interest in sanitary work. Ordinance 34 of 1899 was effecting a vast improvement in the colony, in the concreting, draining, and lighting of back lanes, opening out backyards, and in various other ways. He thought the Government had also gone ahead in building latrines and in providing more water, Perhaps he was optimistic with regard to Hongkong, but it seemed to him that they were living in a city which certainly was not notorious for its death-rate and for the amount of serious disease, with the exception of the plague. With regard to the proposed Euro- pean reservation at Kowloon, he had not the slightest hesitation in saying it was impracticable. At the time it was first put forward he estimated that the Government would have to pay $500,000 to compensate the land-owners in order to carry it out, and he thought the sum had been more than doubled since on account of the increased value of the land. It was absurd to think that
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of Depot gate, on top of enclosure wall, and on outside of retaining wall. I also found that Shektongtsui Market, was missing from the one pig, the property of Chan Ki, pork butcher, swine agents, Wing Yu Leung's pen (the one in which I saw the blood). The pig weighed 163 lbs. and was bought for $18.24. I have infor- med the police of the theft."
ference to the above report was submitted :—
The following letter from-Mr. Ladds in re-
The following minutes were appended
Surgeon's suggestion is a good one. Bome Dr. Hartigan "The Colonial Veterinary watch should certainly be kept on the premises.
fenced in, Night watchmen are never any uso, Dr. Bell-The place should be properly
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