{
489
and those under him are doing what they ` consider is their duty to their Government, but nevertheless the victims of the policy have a right to growl, and their grievances, from their points of view, are, to say the least, real. There. fore let Mr. Campbell keep himself to such subjects as his missions, of which he has an intimate knowledge, and leave matters
of which he knows but little alone. I must apologise for taking up so much of valuable space.-Yours, etc.,
JUSTICE.
your
PRIVATE CHAIR AND RICKSHA COOLIES:
Hongkong, 12th December.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
SIR-Too many have been the complaints against the way that the privato chair and ricksha-coolies are treating their masters by quitting their service without giving notice. As for some of them, as soon as they get their wages, off they go and put their masters in a very unpleasant situation. Cannot this obnoxiors practice be put a stop to? Of course, it can easily be done if the Government would enforce a regulation requiring all domestic servants to be registered and guaranteed. The suggestions made by the chair and ricksha committee should be carried out at once. Things are getting worse and worse every day in Hongkong, and I hope that the proper authorities will soon shake off their lethargy.-Yours, etc.,
+
ONAIRDA.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
December 16, 1901.
I am, Dear Sir,
Yours faithfully.
M. FERNANDEZ.
meeting of the Sanitary Board held on 11th this community from the wanton agression of October, 1900, a report of which was published the above named firm. together with the petition in full in the issue of the Daily Press a day later, the Medical Officer of Health said in reference to it that
the Government have written home for full To G. A. WOODCOCK, Esq., particulars as to the means of enforcing sub- section 7 of section 91 of the Imperial Public Health Act of 1875, which deals with smoke nuisance."
·
Since Dr. Clark's remark was made, nothing was done in the matter till the beginning of this year,
when the Attorney-General introduced in Council a bill for the suppression of smoke nuisance. The bill was accordingly. passed through its several stages, but the smoke nuisance is still going on unabated and besides these firms have erected two more new funnels in their premises; their last transgression was look d upon by the petitioners as a glaring invasion of their lawful fights as taxpayers and peaceful citizens wonder whether the action of the companies was justified under the cir
As nothing was done in the matter I addressed the following letter dated 12th June, 1901, to Dr. F. W. Clark M.B., D.PH., etc., Medical Officer of Health
cumstances.
66
Dest Sit,
"I am requested, as the author of the petition against smoke nuisance which was presented to you in last September from the owners and foreign residents of St. Francis Street, Holy Infant Lane, Queen's Road East, etc., to ap- proach you again on the subject. In the meet- ing of the Sanitary Board as reported in the Daily Press of 12th October, 1900, you men- tioned in reference to our petition that the Government have written home for full parti- culars as to the means of enforcing sub-section 7 of section 91 of the Imperial Public Health Act of 1875, which deals with smoke nuisance.' Since your remark has been made, the Govern- ment have passed a bil for suppression of smoke nuisance in the Legislative Council some 3 months ago, but I regret to state that it has not been enforced in this locality, unabated. asthe nuisance is still going on
ler
fore
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS." Hongkong 13th December. SI-I see a letter from Onairda" in your issue of this date, which, iu conjunction with other recent letters to the Press o the subject of private chair and ricksha coolies. constrains me to offer a suggestion. seems to me that the treatment of coolies by their masters has a lot to do with the behaviour of the coolies. I am very far from King pro-Chinese, but believe in treating coolies human beings, with the result that, during the last two years which II beg respectfully to reiterate the gririty of have spent at the Peak. I have not only had no
the evil which is still prevailing an trouble with my four chair coolies, but lately. this community has a just grievance tui. on removing from one house to another, where yon; for the last 18 mouths they have been I have no room for more than two coolies, I subjected to all sorts of inconvenience arising told my boy to dismiss two of them, but they not only from dust, soot and smoke all the day declino to go, preferring to crowd the four of long. but also now and then from the arsenic themselves into quarters only large enough for fumes caused by copper smelting by the one firm and the poiscuous fumes caused by boiling As the mysteri us chemicals by the other. health of this community is under your kind protection I have full confidence that will make strong representation to those who are responsible for erecting ill-constructed fun- nels, with a view of having them removed. By complying to our humble request you will have placed this community under a deep obligation of owing you a debt of gratitude for which they shall always feel indebted.
Soliciting the favour of
two.
The wages I pay are the same as I paid two years ago, and are not above the market price. In addition to carrying me, they have to do odd jobs in the house. and two of them have to be at my office every day to run errands, &c Now, if this can be so in one case, why not in all? If people were to try and consider a coolie as, at least, approximation to a human being, I think we should hear less about the private coolie question. Youis, etc.,
A SMOKE NUISANCE.
T.
|
your reply.
I have the honour to be. Sir, Your obedient servant,
yon
M. FERNANDEZ. 12, St. Francis Street." On the same day the following letter was received-
"
100*
Sanitary Board Office-No #45. SIR,-In reply to your letter of even date addressed to the Medical Officer of Health, please furnish the addresses of the firms com-
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
(signed) G. A. WOODCOOK,
Acting Secretary.
Mr. M. FERNANDEZ.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS. Hongkong, 12th December. SIR-About two years ago two manufacturing firms established business at the foot of St. Francis Street and the several ill-constructed funnels erected in their premises gave the locality an bassuming aspect of a miniature manufacturing-town. The depressing air, hea-plained of, vily laden with dust, soot, and smoke all the day long in this neighbourhood, makes living most unbearable, and repeated complaints have been made individually from time to time to the managing owners of these companies to no purpose. Being powerless to check this flag- rant abuse unless pressure be brought to bear, the owners, all the foreign and Chineso residents of Holy Infant lane, St. Francis Street.
In reply to your favour of yesterday's Queen's Road East, etc., petitioned to the Go-date I beg to inform you that the names and vernment in the first week of July last year to addresses of firms complained of, are Kee Heong te kind enough to adopt measures for the Chau. sweetmeat manufacturers and exporters. After No. 65. and the Tin Hing Co engineers and suppression of the smote nuisance. waning for a
few months, the petitioners shipbuilders, No. 57. Queen's Road East. Thise thought that the Government had passed them firms are both situated beside each other at the over unnoticed, and on 29th September, 1900, foot of St. Francis Street. I shall feel muci another petition was presented to the Sanitary obliged if you would kindly convey to the "Board authorities, imploring the Board to use Medical Officer of Health the expression of our sincere thanks for protecting the health of their good influence to assist them. At the
In reply to that I again wrote on 13th June 1901. as follows: -
"DEAR SIR.
Secretary, Sanitary Board.
After keeping this commuuity in throes of suspense for some time, the petitioners, not daunted with their several failures, again reminded Dr. Clark in a letter dated 28th October 1901, as follows:-
*
Dear Sir,
1
Adverting to our petition which was present. ed to you in September, 1900, and subsequently appeared in the Daily Press of 12th October of same year, we beg to inform you that the com- plaints referred to are still going on unabated. When the Legislative ouncil passed the smoke-abatement Ordinance at the begin ning of the present year, we thought that the Government would take action in suppressing this nuisance, but we found to our regret that nothing was done in the matter. We would call your kind attention that one of our petitioners addressed you on the subject in 12th Jane. 1901. pointing out the gravity of the existing evil prevailing in this locality, and your secretary in acknowledging receipt of this letter on the same day, requested the names of the firms complained of, which were furnished on the very next day, and since then we have not heard any more relating to it. We take leave to reiterate again the great inconvenience which we have been subjected to for the last 22 months, and hope you will be good enough to protect us by enforcing the Ordinance relating to smoko nuisance against the two firms.
We are, Dear Sir,
Your obedient servants,
(Here follows a list of names).
I trust that His Excellency the Governor will be kind enough to investigate into the case not only of smoke nuisance but also of in. cessant noises caused by the many engineering firms establishing business in the heart of the population along Queen's Real East, and by doing so, I only endorse the opinion of Capt. Hon. F. H. May, I think, delivered in ย speech by that gentleman at a recent meeting of the Sanitary Board.
If you could find space for inserting this letter I shall feel extremely obliged to you on behalf of those who have suffered for the last two years, AS
men in distress are sacred objects."
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
cio Me M. FERNANDEZ,
VICTORIA REGATTA.
FIRST DAY'S PROGRAMME.
The forty-fourth annual Regatta promoted by the Victoria Recreation Club was opened on the 11th inst. at Kowloon and proved to be eminently successful. As usual the Club had made elaborate arrangements for the re- ception of spectators. The club-house and grand stand were beautifully decorated with flowers and plants, and numerous launches and other craft had been secured for the accom- modation of the officials and the demarcation of the course. H.E. the Governor, Sir Henry A.
the Blake, G.C.M.G., ed
presidential duties and the other officials ware
as fol- lows:-Stewards: -Vice-Admiral Sir Cyprian Brge, K.C.B., Major-General Sir W. Gascoigne, K.C.M.G., Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Hon. C. P. Chater, C.M.G.. Hon. A. W. Brewin, Col. L. F. Brown, R.E, Mr. E. F. Gres, Dr. O. Gumprecht, Consul for Germany; Major A. B. Hamilton, D.A.A.G.A.. Mr. F. A.
Hazeland, Sir T. Jackson, Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, C.M.G, J. J. Leiria, Vice-Consul for Brazil; Mr. H. N. Mody, Commodore F. Powell, K.N.. A. G. Romano, Consul-General for Portugal; Hon. Commander R. Murray Rumsey R.N., Messrs. T Sercombe Smith, N. A. Sieb W Poate. W. A. Rublee, U.S. Consul General; Hon. T. H. Whitehead. Dr. G. H. B. Wright, D.D., and Mr. M. A. A. Souza. Committee:Hon H. E. Pollock, Chair- man; Messrs. A. Alves, W. Armstrong, W. S. Bailey, A. Denison, E. M. Hazeland H. W. B. Kennett, M. M. McIver, and hor H. Reid,
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