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January 5, 1901.1
exile this offender to another country, where she could ruminate on the instability of humans affairs and the probability of a Nemesis overtaking wrong-doing even in exalted places. This would be a wonderful object lesson to the Chinese people and would impress them more profoundly with the far-reaching power of the Western States than any display of force or a hundred san- guinary victories on the field of battle. More especially would the lesson find enforcement if it were taught synchronously with a benevolent and friendly support of the Em- peror KWANG Hsu at Peking. If on the other hand the Empress Dowager is al- lowed to reside where she wishes, to exer- cise the powers and assume the state of a monarch, and to receive the homage of the people, she will soon again become potent for mischief, and possibly succeed in stir- ring up ill-feeling to foreigners in parts hitherto comparatively free from the Boxer crusade.
THE CRISIS: TELEGRAMS.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.]
SHANGHAI, 30th December, 257 p.m.. A Peking native telegram reports that 90 large carts are proceeding to Taiyuanfu to bring back the Emperor to Peking.
Sung Shou (Manchu), the unpopular Governor-designate of Kiangsu, has been recalled to Hsianfu. Hu Ping-chih, formerly Governor of Shansi, has been ordered to Hsianfu to accompany the Emperor to Peking.
It is reported that the Mohammedan rebellion in Kansu is increasing.
p.m.
SHANGHAI, 1st January, 1.32 The Emperor has issued a Decree accept- ing the Allies' terms.
There has been a great parade of British troops this morning in honour of the Em- press of India, those present including the English and Japanese Volunteers.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
On Thursday, the 3rd inst., a meeting of the Hongkong Sanitary Board was held. The Pre- sident (the Hon. R. D. Ormsby, Director of Public Works) occupied the chair, and there were also present, the Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G. (Captain Superintendent of Police), Dr. Bell (Acting Principal Civil Medical Officer). Major Brown, R.A.M.C., Mr. J. McKie, Dr. Hartigan, Mr. E. Osborne, Dr. F. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. Fung Wa Chuen, Mr. Chan A Fook. and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
MALARIAL RESEARCH.
The following reply from the Colonial Secro- tary relative to the reports of Dr. Thomson on the subject of malarial research was submitted:-
"With reference to your letter of the 7th inst. I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to inform you that all reports re- ceived from time to time on the subject of malarial research will be forwarded to you im- mediately for the consideration of the Board."
Dr. HARTIGAN said he thought a motion proposed by Mr. Osborne had been passed re- questing the Government to let the Board know exactly what steps had been taken down at West Point in this connection. He did not remember that an answer had been received.
The SECRETARY-No reply has yet been re- ceived.
Dr. HARTIGAN-I think we might ask for a reply. Something has been done, I know.
It was understood that this should be done. SUGGÉSTED VERBAL AMENDMENTS TO
EXISTING BYE-LAWS.
The following letter (dated December 27th) from the Medical Officer of Health suggesting certain verbal amendments to existing Bye-laws, was submitted :—
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
dances.
THE PROPOSED USE OF WATERING CARTE.
I have the honour to report for the in-inch pipe was as less likely to choke as a six- formation of the Board that the Attorney inch pipe, because they had no night-soil or General has consolidated the 15 Public Health kitchen slops; but if the Board held a different Ordinances into one Bill, and that I have in view it was simply a question of leaving the consultation with him collected and classified Bye-law as it stood. He had ascertained the the varius Bye-laws made under these Ordi- fact that a number of four-inch pipes had been These Bye-laws will be re-enacted as put in by architects and no objection had been a schedule to the new Ordinance, but there are raised, and he thought it would be absurd to several small amendments which might with ad- have a law saying that four-inch pipes should rantage be made at the second reading if the not be used and yet to allow them to be used. Board approve of them. The following are the The motion was carried. amendments which have been agreed upon by the Attorney-General and myself as desirable. Bye-law 44 of the Drainage Bye-laws quotes Bye- "I. Drainage Bye-laws.-It will be seen that law las requiring notice to be given to the Board by any person about to construct, re-construct, alter, or amend any drain on his premises, but a reference to Bye-law 1 will show that this speaks only of a person about to construct any drain. As it is clear that the intention of the Bye-laws was that notice should be given for re-construction and alteration as well as for
construction.
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we recommend that the words reconstruct, alter, or amend' should be added after the word 'construct' in the first line of Byo-law 1.
In Bye-laws 2 and 3 the word 'new' should, have been deleted by the amending Bye-law recently approved, but as this was not done we recommend that it be done now.
In Bye-law 12 of the Drainage Bye-laws it is provided that no main house drain shall be less than six inches in clear internal diameter. As it is not uncommon for four-inch pipes to be used for this purpose, we recommend that the word 'six' be altered to 'four.'
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In Bye laws 5 and 34 of the Drainage Bye. word ' water and air-tight' instead of laws we recommend the substitution of the water or air-tight.
In Bye-law 3 of the Drainage Bye-laws it is provided that the Sanitary.Surveyor shall approve of all drainage works, and in Bye- law 45 it speaks of plans being approved by the Board and amendments required by the Board. We recommend that Bye-law 45 be altered so as to correspond exactly with Bye- law 3 as to approval of plans.
The following letter (dated 28th December) from the Colonial Secretary was submitted:-
forming me of the recommendation of the Sani- "In reply to your minute of the 21st inst., in- tary Board that watering carts should be used for watering the lower-level streets of this colony, I am directed to inform you that His Excellency, the Governor has approved of the proposal. (2) I am, therefore, to request you to order four carts from the lowest tenderer, as recommended by the Board."
Dr. HARTIGAN said he thought they might congratulate themselves on having gained one step in the right direction.-~
The PRESIDENT-We have agreed to accept the tender of Bailey and Murphy, and the ordea will be given to them at once.
On the question as to the labour to be am. ployed being mentioned, Mr. McKIE said they would have no trouble in a month or two in getting any number of coolies. -
THE SUGGESTED SCHEME OF SANITARY IMPROVEMENT.
The Hon. F. H. May had given notice of the following question
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What stops have the Board taken in answer to an invitation made to the Board in May last by direction of the Officer Administering the Government to formulate a scheme of sanitary improvements in this colony
The following minutes were appended:→
Dr. Clark:- "These are not by any means all the papers. I have attached copy of minutes No. 16, from which it will be seen that the Board made certain recommendations to the Government on the subject in July last to which no answers have yet been received.
Dr. Hartigan :-" The question finds its an.
In Bye-laws 1, 2, and 3 of the Bye-laws for the notification of Infectious Diseases, medi-swer hero." cal practitioners and others are required The Hon. F. H. May" In reference to the Secretary of the Board or to the Re- is the answer it is a very poor one. to send certificates of infectious diseases to Dr. Hartigan's minute, I may say that if this
Mr. Os gistrar General. In practice those certifi- borne's minute of 11th July exactly hits the cates have always been sent to the Medical mark." Officer of Health, and in England the Infec- The Hon. F. H. MAY-I beg to ask the tions Diseases Notification Act requires that question which stands in my name, and in do. they be sent to the Medical Officer of Health. ing so I would beg leave to refer briefly We recommend, therefore, that the Bye-laws to the report on the matter which forms the be amended accordingly, but retaining in Bye-subject- law 2 the option of the occupiers of premises to Dr. HARTIGAN--I beg to rise to a point of notify the officer in charge of the nearest Polica order. I do not think you are allowed to speak, Station, who should under Bye-law 3 immediate but to simply ask the question. ly inform the Medical Officer of Health.
"Bye-law 2 of the Bye-laws governing removal of patients. etc., seems to requiro the word Dr. HARTIGAN-I think not. I was not allow. shall instead of may before remove' in 'ed to say a word the other day when I asked a first line and before bury in fourth line. question.
Bye-law 3. of the above-quoted Bye-laws appears to be merely a repetition of section 35 of the new Ordinance (section 29 of the Public, Health Ordinance, No. 24 of 1889) and might therefore be repealed."
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The Hon. F. H. MAY-I am allowed to ex- plain my question.
The PRESIDENT said the only answer he could give at present was that the Board for warded a number of preliminary recommenda tions to the Government in July of last year and A no reply had yet been received to them. general scheme of sanitary improvements in the colony was a very big thing indeed, and it might be that what was everybody's business had been looked upon as nobody's business, Unless some members of the Board could spare a good deal of time to prepare a scheme they must go on as they had been doing. He thought the Government might be asked to reply to the matters to which he had referred,
MOTION BY MR. OSBORNE AS TO AN IMPROVEMENT SCHEME.
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The following minute was appended :- The Hon. R. D. Ormsby :- I think six-inch drain pipes should be insisted on. Four-inch drain pipes are too small and too easily choked." The PRESIDENT said he presumed the mem- bors had all read the proposed amendments They were mostly verbal. In going over them he was struck by one point. It was a rule that a six-inch pipe should be the minimum to connect a house with a main drain, and it was proposed to reduce this to a four-inch pipe, because, it was said, the four-inch pipe was constantly being used. He must say that be thought it would be much better to “That in regard to the Acting Colonial Secre insist upon the six-inch pipes. The six-tary's letter to the Sanitary Board of 1st May, inch pipe was considered the minimum in 1950, asking the Board to formulate a compre- Europe for connecting houses with the main hensive scheme of sanitary improvements, drain. He moved the adoption of the amend reply be sent that the Board are not disposed ments with the exception of that substituting a to formulate such a scheme unless some as four-inch drain for a six-inch drain,
surance be forthcoming that the Government will give immediate effect to some at least of the Board's recommendations."
Mr. Osborne had given notice of the following motion:-
Dr. CLARK, in seconding, said that in regard to the size of the pipe the Bye-law could be left as it stood. It was merely a matter of opinion. Mr. OSBORNE said-The motion standing in The Surveyor to the Board said that a four-my name is brought forward as a sequence to
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