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order of his employer, or shall use any abu. sive or insulting language to his employer, or shall behave abusively or insultingly to his employer, or be guilty of riotous or dis- orderly conduct [shall continue to speak in loud tones after having been once requested by his master to desist], shall, upon summary conviction before a Magistrate, be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty dollars and, in default of payment, to imprisonment with or without hard larbour for a period not exceeding three months.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
HONGKONG AND THE PLAGUE.
(Daily Press, 5th March.)
In his report for the past year Dr. STANLEY, Health Officer at Shanghai, deals at some length with the subject of plague and refers to the experience of Hongkong. He states that, with all our advantages, we are in no better position as regards recurrence of plague than any of the adjacent Chinese towns. The " advantages" of which Dr. STANLEY speaks are rather illusory. We Clauses 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 17, have here, it is true, a drainage-system 18, and 19 in the Draft Bill, which all re- which is absent in the adjacent towns, but ferred to the proposed registration of ccolies a great number of critics consider this all drop out of the Government Bill, as a system eminently ill-suited to a town in matter of course, since the authorities have which nalives form the very large majority decided to disregard the Commission's of the population, more especially when the recommendation to introduce a system of water for flushing purposes is brought so registration. It will be seen that apart dangerously low as it now is. Our from this point the advice of the Commis-sanitary staff has hitherto been inadequate sion has been taken, except that Chinese to deal with its supervisory duties, and it employers or masters are brought into the is needless to point out that an unsupervised scope of the measure equally with Europeans; system of sanitation is not likely to be a presumably because the chief objections of success in China. We are now at last the Chinese employers (though not of all of securing a sanitary staff of reasonable pro- them) examined before the Commission last portions and may look for a vast improve- year were against the suggestion of ment in its methods. Nevertheless, the registration.
sanitary system does not in itself put The main omission in the Government Hongkong on a better footing all round than Bill, as we have indicated, is the dropping its neighbours. There is a constant influx of the proposed registration. But the effect of natives from all parts, medically un- of this, it need hardly be said, is to wreck examined, into the island, and in this the Bill as originally proposed. The Com- respect we certainly run more risk of initial mission insisted very strongly on the advis-infection than other places. Tee overcrowd- ability of giving a trial to such system, Neither Messrs. ŠERCOMBE SMITH, WILCOX; or. BADELEY
be looked upon can dangerous innovators, and the result of their careful deliberations was to recom- mend a
measure which has often been discussed before. This proposal has been absolutely rejected. Whence the pressure against the trial of the suggested remedy for an undoubted evil came, we cannot at- tempt to say. The fact remains that the re- commendations are practically set at bought. In the "objects and reasons attached to the Bill standing over the name of the Hon. W. MEIGH Goodman, it is stated that "the misconduct of many of the coolies of the class mentioned in this Ordinance bas formed of late the subject of numerous com- plaints, and it is trusted that the provision of a penalty for such misconduct may con- duce to some improvement in this respect." We do not share the confidence of the promoter of the new Bill. Some small alleviation of the recent troubles may result, but no honest attempt has been made to grapple with the difficulty. The outcome of the Commission's labours is extremely disappointing.
"}
as
News reached the Colony on the Ist inst. that
ing of our population, moreover, certainly does not conduce to their welfare. We venture to think, therefore, that Dr. STAN- LEY is misleading in his remarks about this port. The following passage, how. ever, in his report must be inost cordially endorsed, Plague once admitted is no "respecter of race or locality.
*
The
[March 10, 1902. HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A special meeting of the Sanitary Board was held at noon on the 3rd inst. for the purpose of considering a recommendation by the Medical Officer of Health relative to closing the premises known as Nos. 13, 15, 17, and 23, Mosque Junction, as unfit for human habita- tion under the bye-laws for the prevention or mitigation of epidemic, endemic, or contagious disease. Present:-Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Prin- cipal Civil Medical Officer (President); Éon. A. (Vice-Pre- Browin, Registrar-General W sident); Hon. W. Chatham, Director of Public Works; Dr. Clark, Medical Officer of Health Lieut-Col. Hughes, R.A.M.C.; Mr. F. J. Badeley, Acting Captain Superintendent of Police; Mr. E. Osborne, Mr. Lau Chu-pak, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
The PRESIDENT I have summoned this meeting to consider a recommendation by the Medical Officer of Health with reference to closing the premises at Mosque Junction known as Nos. 13, 15, 17, and 23. This has arisen in connection with the second case of plague that has occurred this year, and is in accord with the intention of the Board to deal with each case as thoroughly as possible, so as to disease becoming prevent, if possible the epidemic.
The SECRETARY read Dr. Clark's minute on the subject, which was in the following terms: I have the honour to report, for the in- formation of the Board, that on the 25th inst. a case of plague was reported as having occured at No. 17, Mosque Junction. I have inspected this and the neighbouring houses, and I am of opinion that the Board should close the houses known as Nos. 13, 15, 17, and 23, Mosque Junction, as unfit for human habitation. The houses are old ones, and more or less rat-ridden, with hollow cross- walls, and the ground floors are dark and ill- ventilated.
Hon. W. CHATHAM-There are two inter-
vening houses, I presume, between the numbers specified Nos. 19 and 21?
Dr. CLARK-Yes.
Hon. W.CHATHAM—Are they quite sanitary? Dr. CLARK-They are in a better condition. Nos. 15 and 17 are already vacant.
The PRESIDENT-Where do you propose to find accommodation for people displaced?
Dr. CLARK-We are not bound to find accom- This is a small matter; isn't like a big block of houses. Lieut.-Cal. HUGHES-How many inhabitants are there?:
Dr. CLARK-Nos. 15 and 17 are already vacant. In Nos. 13 and 23-I can only say roughly-there are probably not more than five or six people in each-only about two families.
Lieut.-C. HUGHES-The case of plague · was in No. 17 P
moral of this is that the full machinery necessary for dealing with the disease should be maintained in constant readi- ness, and there should be no hesitation to "act with vigour on the occurrence of the
first inkling of an outbreak. The Isola-modation in any case. tion Hospital must be maintained in readi.it ness, means 'must be at hand for the compulsory removal of the infected to hospital and of effective disposal after death." In Hongkong we have this year, for the first time, initiated elaborate precautionary measures well in advance of the anticipated outbreak. Owing to the unfortunate drought, consequent on the shortsightedness of the water authorities in the past, flushing operations have not been as complete as they might, but in other respects a creditable and very desir- able improvement has been made on the measures of previous years. So far we have only had two reported cases of plague
Dr. CLARK-In Nos, 15 and 17, because they communicate.
Hon. W. CHATHAM-I beg to move, in accordance with the certificate of the Medical Officer of Health, that the Board order the immediate closing of the following houses, namely, the premises known as Nos. 13, 15. 17, and 23, Mosque Junction, as provided for in bye-law No. 3 of the bye-laws for the or contagious disease.
chối ca had broken out at Canton and was rag since the commencement of the year. The prevention or mitigation of epidemic, endemic,
ing serely among the Chinese population. Two Europeans have unfortunately succumbed to the dread disease. One of them, we regret to state, was Lieut. Commander E. A. Baird of H.M. gunboat Britomart. His death was, very sudden. On the 27th ult. he was at Shameen playing tennis, and he dined there at night and after playing a game of billiards left for his ship, apparently in the best of health and spirits. Towards midnight, however, he was seized with a pain in the chest and he succumbed next morning. The flags on the shipping and the pro- minent buildings were floated at half-mast. The deceased officer was buried on the 1st inst. on French Island. It is believed that be con tracted the disease by drinking some water -nct, as has been reported previously, milk, The other European who died was Mr. T. Agnew, 23 years of age, an employee of the Customs; he drank some unfiltered water, and died on Thursday. A number of the other Europeans on the Customs are reported to be suffering from the cholera. The Chinese are dying off in great numbers.
dangerous period is now setting in, but we all trust that the labours of the sanitary staff will not be in vain, and that should there be an outbreak it may be kept well within bounds. A fair trial is this year being given to the attempt to prevent rather than cure the disease which has done the Colony so much harm in the past.
THE CRISIS: TELEGRAMS.
[FROM OUR CORRE-PONDENT.]
SHANGHAI, 3rd March, 7 p.m. A special meeting of the China Associa- tion convened here to-day rejected by a large majority Sir James Mackay's reported proposal to increase the import duty to 15 per cent., against this being set the abolition
of the lekin taxes.
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Lieut. Col. HUGHES Seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously.
THE CHOLERA IN CANTON.
Dr. CLARK-I bag to move the suspension of the Standing Orders, to enable the Board to consider what action, if any, should be taken in regard to the outbreak of cholera in Canton.
The PRESIDENT seconded, and the motion was curried.
The SECRETARY read the following letter from Consul-General-Scott at Canton:
é
Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge -the receipt of your telegram of this date (Saturday) re cholera in Canton. In reply, I beg to state that for some time past there have been rumours of sickness amongst the Chinese, due to the impure conditions of the wells and other water supply in Canton consequent on the unusually prolonged absencə of rain. The condition is nothing more than the usual course at this season of the year in a congested and fetid city. The outbreak is known as fruit cholera,' unripe fraît being
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