January 19, 1901.]
carrying out the measures thereby indicated, I think it is our duty to support the Secretary of State in his efforts to stamp out malaria in the colonies, and I know that notwithstanding His Excellency's expressed views and opinions or the example of the work being done by the military and a private firm at Quarry Bay, little or nothing effective is being done by the Civil Authorities. As the matter is urgent, for the rainy season, when nothing can be done, will soou be on us, I beg to move:-"That the Government be requested to secure at once the services of a properly qualified man to act as assistant MOH, who can, inter alia, attend to the malarious swamps and pools in that portion of the colony which is under the jurisdiction of the Sanitary Board. Dr. Thomson might be second- ed for this duty and his place taken by a mili- tary doctor, or vice versa. Where there's a will there's always a way.”
|
The motion was then put to the Beard, and carried.
THE PROPOSED SCHEME OF SANITARY IMPROVEMENT.
The Hon. F. H. MAY, pursuant to notice, moved:-That the Board appoint a sub-commit- tee to draw up a scheme of sanitary improve- ments of the City of Victoria.
19
THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE COLONY, by Mr. FunG WA CHUEN, the following re- On the motion of Dr. HABTIGAN seconded solution was carried: be asked to furnish the Board periodically "That the Government
monthly report on the condition of the water with a copy of the Government Analyst's. supply of the colony."
slightest difficulty about this.
The PRESIDENT said there would not be the
SUGGESTED ALTERATION TO DRAINAGE BYE-LAW No. 18.-
Mr. J. J. Bryan, Sanitary Surveyor, was sub- The following letter, dated Jan. 14th, from mitted:--
44
Bye-law 18 of the Drainage Bye-laws re- shall, whenever possible, be laid in one straight quires that "any drain passing under a building line." Now that all buildings must be provided with yards, it will always be possible to so design the drain that no change of direction will be required inside a building, and I beg to suggest, therefore, that the words "whenever possible "be deleted from Bye-law 18. The generally throughout England read: Local Government Bye-laws which are in force drain conveying sewage must pass under a ** No building uuless no other mode of construction is practicable. In that case it must be laid in a direct line for the whole distance beneath the house." My reasons for suggesting this are that when a manhole is built inside a house there is a danger of drain air entering the house, as I have proved by using the smoke test. I have also occasionally found the cover to the manhole removed, and the place used as a receptacle for refuse."
The following minutes were appended :- Dr. Hartigan:-"The last paragraph of Mr. Bryan's letter is the most important. Where manholes have been used as receptacles for refuse prosecutions of occupiers should follow. This is one example of the way many Chinese abuse sanitary improvements."
gained by deleting the words 'whenever pos- Mr. Fung Wa Chuen :-"Nothing is to be sible,' as it would probably lead to a deadlock in exceptional cases."
CHINA ÖVERLAND TRADE REPORT. good enough to point out the particular pools and their locality. Dr. Young wrote back and asked to be supplied with a map for the par. pose of marking out the pools. The map was sent him, and in his own time he came to the office of the Director of Public Works and ex- plained his ideas on the matter. An officer was sentan intelligent officer--to accompany Dr. Young, and both of them went over the nullah ground at Kennedytown. As the result of this, Dr. Young indicated the position of half-a-dozen pools he wanted filled up. These pools, the officer reported, could be filled by the simple expedient of kicking some dirt into them, and, in cases where breeding-places were found amongst | broken pottery, and so on, that breeding-place upside down. It seemed to him, went on the was destroyed by merely turning the pottery speaker, that Dr. Young then realised what others had since realised-to do away with all Mr. OSBORNE, in seconding said it had pools in which mosquitoes breed was practically been very clearly put before them in what impossible. With regard to the "leading resi- way their duty lay, and even though this dent" in the West End, he had certainly written mosquito theory might prove to be fallacions, a great deal to the Government. If all that they would have done their duty in pushing it to the end, and that was what they were there to do."leading resident" not do it himself, especially was required was a pailful of limewash, why did Dr. BELL said he did not think it was quite when it meant the expenditure of only a few correct to say that Dr. Thomson had not done dollars. Finally, the mover of the motion had any work. It was only in the last week's Gazette implied that he (the President) was a disbeliver that particulars as to a collection of anopheles ih the mosquito-malaria theory. He had never made by him were given, and he was still doing said so, and it had, in fact been proved that the work. He added that he believed in the theory theory was a correct one. that mosquitoes gave malaria, but how that ma- laris was to be prevented was quite a different question, and fifty thousand reports from Lord Lister and others, who had never seen a mosquito except a dead one in the British Museum, were absolutely useless. We were in the tropics and knew what mosquitoes were. When he first saw this theory proved he said that in a week they would have no malaria, and he put some- Mr. OSBORNE, in seconding, said-At our thing to that effect on paper, he was sorry last meeting I proposed and the Board adopted to say, because he had since thought the matter a resolution to the effect that we were not dis- out very carefully and had listened to people posed to formulate on all sides. They could get any amount of sanitary improvement unless the Government, a comprehensive scheme of information on this subject from anybody who had asked for it, gave some assurance that in the colony, right down to a rickshaw our recommendations or at least some of them coolie. He had come to the conclusion would be acted upon, therefore in seconding that there was very little known of the Mr. Mays proposal I desire to explain the mosquite.
They knew nothing about his life apparent inconsistency of my supporting to history. They did not know now far he flew, day what we practically refused to do a fort- somebody told them he could fly 500 yards. night ago. The resolution of last meeting was He found that it had been proved that he could brought forward with a view to place on record fly 1,000 yards, and he was quite prepared to be and bring to the notice of Government the feel-, Dr. BELL, the proposed amendment was On the motion of Dr. CLARK, seconded by told that he could fly 2,000. Until they know all ings of the Board in regard to what we or the approved. about the mosquite and his life history he did Majority of us consider to be the indifferent | not think they would know how to stop treatment which our recommendations in the malaria. To put down all the mosquitoes past have as a rule met with-We do not for was a gigantie order. Think of the thousands one moment imagine that our suggestions, how- and millions of them, and to put them down ever excellent, are in every case either practio- would mean an enormous amount of work. He able or politic. But what we expect and have a did not see the necessity for having another right to expect is that we shall not be met with medical man. If they wanted these pools stop-blank refusal and if for financial or other reasons ped any man from the Public Works Depart- Government cannot see its way to give effect ment could stop them.
to our suggestions we consider we and the Public The PRESIDENT said that before putting this whom we represent, are entitled to the cour motion he must say a few words in defence of tesy of an explanation-And most of all we feel.. the Public Works Department, at which most that, when the Board recommends some minor of the remarks made by Dr. Hartigan, or at reform where the question of expense cannot least the greater part of them, were addressed. apply, as for instance the removal of the Cricket In the first place, he wished to most empha-ground urinal, our recommendation should not tically deny that he had ever in any way be cast aside sinply bocause it does not meet obstructed the earrying-out of the works with the approval of some individual menber of recommended by Dr. Young, and it was Government. Our Board Meetings should be absolutely untrue to say that he had done something more than mere opportunities for aca- so. He had been most anxious to carry demical discussion, and I think we may hope in out the work as a Government officer, and in course of time to effect considerable improvement the way H.E. the Governor had desired, and as in the health of the Colony and the consequent he had already said, it was absolutely untrue welfare of its people provided Government will that he, as head of the Public Works Depart-accord as the support and encouragement ment, was not doing his work. As to what Dr. Young's requirements were, he first asked that the nullahs at Kennedytown should be drained. That matter required some explana- tion and a little correspondence, as he (the e speaker), in his knowledge of engineering, had never heard of a natural water course being drained. Dr. Young then explained that he wanted it drained, and an officer from the Públic
OPEN SPACES ON PHAYA EAST. Works Department was sent to survey these The Hon, F, H. MAY had given notice of his nullans and prepare an estimate. When this intention to move: That before the condi- work had been going on for perhaps a week, tions for provision of open spaces around build- and the officer had sent in an estimate of some-ings on the proposed reclamation in front of thing like $8,000 for the clearing away Prays East be settled, they be referred to the of these pools, Dr Young said he did not Board for their consideration and advice.. want that he wanted to have the pools This motion was withdrawn the Hon. F. H. filled up." The President, continuing, said he MAY observing that it was hardly ripe for then wrote and asked if Dr. Young would be discussion:
which we consider to be due to the great object for which we work. For this reason there fore I beg to second Mr. May's proposal.
On the suggestion of the PRESIDENT a sub- committee was appointed, consisting of the Hon. F. H. May, Mr. Osborne, Dr. Clark, and Mr. Fung Wa Chun, Dr. Hartigan expressed his inability to serve.
17
one."
Mr. Osborne :-" The suggestion is a good -“I thoroughly agree with the
Surveyor.”
Dr. Clark:-
HOUSES WHICH DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE.
from Mr. J. J. Bryan, Sanitary Surveyor, with A letter dated January 14th was submitted reference to six houses which have been built in New Street on the site formerly occupied by a school and one house. A certificate had been applied for, and he recommended that the same be withheld, and the owner informed that the houses could not be occupied until they were to constructed as to comply with the Ordinance. was agreed to.
The suggestion of the Sanitary Surveyor
THE PROPOSED CATTLE-DESTRUCTOR, proposed cattle-destructor, and the following 、 Correspondence was submitted regarding minutes were appended
what they have asked for repeatedly is a re- Dr. Clark: What the Board wants and fuse-destructor, not a cattle-destructor. The fuel for the destruction of one carcase will cost from $10 to $15, while with a refuse destructor these carcases can be destroyed without any other fuel than that furnished by the city refuse."
with you as to the latter part of your minute. The Hon. R.D. Ormsby.-"I disagree entirely
I believe our refuse would not burn without a large consumption of coal. Please pass this to the Secretary with plan and specification for circulation. I am in favour of asking Govern- ment to order only these crematory furnaces now. It is better to spend £115 on what you yourself have more than once described as an experiment than $60,000."
Dr. Clark: I have ever described the proposed refuse-des- It is not correct to my that
tructor as an experiment. frequently that the number of cells req
have explained so
utility of a refuse destructor is unque only be ascertained by experience, but that the that it ought not to be neces
loned. to repost it. The D. PW. is clearly opposed to the erection
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.