July 29, 1901.]
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he begged to express regret at having unwit- tingly been the cause of so much contention and dispute, and tendered his thanks to Messrs Butterfield & Swire for the efforts they were making in support of a cause in which not only himself but all the graduate of the College of Medicine for Chinese were involved.
The following minutes were appended : Lient-Col. Hughes. The Board should ad- here to its decision firmly, and should refuse to agree that the matter be referred to H. E. the Governor. There is no necessity for such a procedure. They should further refuse to be dictated to by Mears. Butterfield & Swire."
Mr. Osboine : Board refuse Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's Under what powers did the request? I think the majority of members in this matter consider the dignity of the Board more important than the welfare of the public." 1 r. Bell: "The Board should insist upon the firm providing an European medical man to supervise the diagnosis and disinfection. We cannot refer the matter to anyone, as we are responsible.”
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Mr. May: This is an attempt to get behind the Board, which should be resolutely opposed." On the motion of Dr. BELL, seconded by Mr. MAY, the Board decided to adhere to its former decision in the matter, and to approach the Government to confirm that decision.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE PLAGUE.
Tuesday.
During the 48 hours ending at noon on the 22nd inst, there were reported 7 fresh Chinese onses of plague and one European, and 8 deaths (Chinese).
The European case is that of Private D. Nelson, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who was admit. ted to Kennedytown Hospital on the 22nd inst. He developed the disease, we are informed, in No. 5 room at Murray Barracks, which has, of course, been overhauled and disinfected. This fresh case, occurring just when we were hoping disappearance of the disease at least among to be able to congratulate ourselves on the Europeans, is regretable in the extreme.
Last week's figures were:-13 cases (8 in Victoria), 16 deaths. The record for the year stands now at:-1,579 cases (1,499 Chinese, 57 othes Asiatics, 29 Europeans); 1,506 deaths (1,463 Chinese, 34 other Asiatics, 9 Europeans).
Wednesday.
During the 24 hours ending at noon yesterday only one fresh case of plague was reported, and one death (Chinese).
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the whole of her deck above the water- line. She was making no water, from which it may be inferred that there are no holes- in her. She looked, moreover, in excellent con- dition, for all her eight months below the water. It now remains to tow her over to Kowloon, where hand-pumps will complete the work and remove the remaining water prepara- tory to her docking. It is to be noted that this time the Canton River did not come up bow first as in the previous attempts to raise her, but bodily--a fact due to the way in which she has been lightened before the final pumping.
Thursday's operations were carried out under
task which has proved hitherto so baffling. the able directions of Mr. T. S. Morton, to whom great credit is due for accomplishing a
The Canton River was orginally brought out from Paisley, where she was built by MesarE. Fleming & Ferguson, to the order of Messrs. Punchard, Lowther & Co., who were to use her for dredging operations in connection with the Naval Yard extension work. As is well known, she is a very powerful type of dredger, being built to receive within 15 or 20 minutes 150 tons into her hoppers, which had a total capacity of Private Nelson, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who 750 tons. She is now the property partly of was admitted to the Plague Hospital on Monday, the Commercial Union Assurance Co., who died on the 23rd inst, and was buried at have a lien of £23,000 on her, and partly of the six o'clock at Happy Valley with military hon-underwriters in London, with whom she is ours. The deceased was far gone when taken insured for £12,000 and who are represented into the hospital, and uover rallied. He was
here by Messrs. Gilman & Co., of Queen's Road An application was read from Messrs. Palmer feverish for six days, it appears, before it was
Central. & Turner, architects and surveyors, for per-known what the nature of his illness was. mission to erect verandahs at Nos. 22 to 24, Pokfulam Road. A plan was also submitted.
Dr. Clark minuted: "I see no reason for refusing the application."
APPLICATION FOR ERECTION OF VERANDAHS.
On the motion of the PRESIDENT, seconded by Dr. CLARK, the application was granted.
ANALYSIS OF WELL-WATER.
The results of the analysis of three samples of well-water showed that the water from a public well at Dock Street, Hanghom, and from a well situated at Hunghom West, was fit for potable purposes, but that it would be improved if extraneous matter could be kept out by improving the surroundings of the wells. The samples from a well situated at the back of the market, Hunghom, was found to be so tainted with impurities as to make the water unfit for potable purposes, and likely to prove injurious to health.
Dr. CLARK moved that the report of the Gov- ernment Analyst, Mr. F. Brown, who made the analysis, be forwarded to the Government, as the wells were Government property.
The motion was agreed to.
MORTALITY STATISTICS FOR THE COLONY.
The mortality statisties for the Colony for the weeks ended 6th July and 13th July showed that for the former week the deaths were 25.6 per 1,000, as against 38-3 in the previous week, and 39.6 for the corresponding week of last year. For the latter week the figures were 26-9, as against 32.3 for, the corresponding period last
year.
PLANS OF URINALS, Plans for two urinals were submitted and
Mrs. Brownhill, it is stated, is in a very tained about her recovery. critical condition, and grave fears are enter
Thursday.
During the 24 hours ending at noon yester. day there were reported 6 fresh Chinese cases of plague and 7 deaths, of which 5 were Chinese and 2 European.
One of the two European deaths reported was that of Private Nelson, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, ав we reported in yesterday's issue; the other was Mrs. Brownhill, who died on Tuesday at 11.55 p.m. The sad circum stances attending the death first of Captain Brownhill and now of Mrs. Brownhill are almost too well known to need repetition. On the eve of departing for home, they were stricken with the disease and taken to the Plague Hospital on the day previous to that on which they were to sail from Hongkong. The husband succumbed very quickly, but the news of his death was kept from Mrs. Brownhill until she was thought to be sufficiently recovered to bear the shock. The crisis in the unfortunate lady's illness, however, arrived on Sunday night, and from that time she gradually sank until her death. Mrs. Brownhill was buried by the side of her husband at Happy Valley.
Saturday.
We have now had two consecutive days with out a plague case or death, the record of the 48 hours ending at noon on Friday being:-Cases,
nil; deaths, nil.
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The dredger Canton River started on her voyage across the harbour about 3.30 p.m. on Friday, and was safely brought over to Kowloon.
THE SALARIES OF SUBORDINATE GOVERNMENT OFFICERS.
In its issue of Monday, the 22nd inst., our senior evening contemporary published an article dealing with the question of the salaries of subordinate Government officers in this colony. In the course of its criticism, after describing the circularising of the Departments as
IT B 'Gilbertian" method of settling the question of salaries, our con- temporary went on to say that but for the fact that "the Colonial Secretary is a Scotsman and
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congenitally incapable of seeing and appreciat- ing a joke (vide English authorities) there would be some amusing answers to the latest official conundrum." The Colonial Secretary, however, for all the fact of his nationality, is fully apprciative of the present joke. To start at the beginning, the Secretary of State for the Colonies made a suggestion to the Government here that it would perhaps be wise to have the salaries of officials in Hongkong placed on a ster ling basis; the same suggestion was also made to the Government of the Straits Settlements. In February of last year a body called the Sterling Salaries Committee was appointed by the heads and assistant heads of the various Departments in Government service to consider the whole matter, and the result of the Committee's de-
referred to by our contemporary. That circular, which went round the Departments, was as follows:
approved. One is to be in Ice House Lane THE "CANTON RIVER" RAISED. liberations was the issuing of the circular
and the other on the Praya near the present Canton wharf. The plan for a third at the Parade Ground bas gone home to the War Office, the PRESIDENT intimated.
NOTICE OF MOTION.
Mr. OSBORNE gave notice that at the next meeting of the Board he would ask for the production, by the Medical Officer of Health or by the Secretary, of a statement showing what recommendations the Board and its (fficers have made during the past ten years, in respect to the following matters, and how far such recommendations have been carried out:-
1. Additional markets.
2. Additional public latrines. 3. Additional public urinals. This was all the business.
The list of murders and murderers who suffer the extreme penalty of the law for their crime is daily increasing in the Philippines, and has already reached gigantic proportions. In whatever else the Filipino is backward, it is not in taking life when his passion is roused and his heart yearns for vengeance. Few races also can equal him in the fiendish cruelty with which he revenges himself for some fancied or real wrong.
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At last the dredger Canton River, after more than eight months" sojourn ander the waters of the harbour, into which she sank during the "Within one week from the 15th July, typhoon on the 10th November last, has been1901. the Sterling Ealaries Committee want a raised from the bottom, and provided that no statement from each ofiloer affected: typhoon visits Hongkong at this very moment "(1) What sterling salary will you accept? it may reasonably be expected that she will be “(2) Reasons for fixing salary at such a safely towed over to dock at Kowloon for the figure." operations on her to be completed. It is probable that she will be sold at no very distant date.
The pumping operations recommenced at 7.30 a.m. on the 25th inst., and by 8o'clock the dredger was beginning to move from the bottom. All proceeded very well, and only at one time was any anxiety felt. This was at about 8.30 a.m.. when the Canton River suddenly made a heavy list to stern and there appeared for a brief while a possibility of her turning over as she did before. Now, however, the removal of her top-hamper has made a vast difference to the ease of manipulation, and so on the 25th inst. the vigorous working of the pumps in the right direction speedily got rid of all danger by righting the vessel, and operations proceeded without another bitch. At 9 o'clock (ihepumps gave out, by which time the Canton River had'
The object of the circular was simply to ascertain what each officer thought would be a fair equivalent in sterling of his salary, making allowances for any privileges he might lose as far as regards present rate of pay for leave and pension. Many of the officers now draw their leare pay at is. to the dollar and their pension allowance at 3. 8d. Coming to the question of delay, our readers will remember that the Hon. E. M. Gray, at a meeting of the Legislative Council on 14th February this year, asked the following ques- tion, of which he had given notice. “I should like to know what, if any, reply has been received from the Secretary of State with regard to the recommendations of the Com- mittee appointed to enquire into and report on the salaries of subordinate officers in the Civil: Service of the colony? In reply to this
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