April 7, 1902.]
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alls would add to the sense of security among the residents. Some small Chinese gunboats have been busy at the port during the end of March, and by the 26th of that month one thousand men had been des- patched for Nanning, the rebel head quarters. However, the Canton correspond- ent whom we quotel above wrote on the 22nd ult. :-" It is questionable. if the troops sent by the government are at all able to do the work of restoring order, and if the rebels take to guerilla fighting then a force of from thirty to fifty thousand men will be needed." This is putting a serious aspect on the rising, which we have not yet had news of sufficient gravity to justify. It is earnestly to be hope that nothing g disastrous as such an outbreak would necessarily be to West River trade is to be anticipated. It is impossible from the reports which we have up to now received to form a reliable estimate of the difficulties which confront the Canton authorities.
CHOLERA IN MANILA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
MANILA, 2nd April, 7.40 p.m. The total number of cases of cholera bere is mow 118 and the death-roll is 93. The last cases were discovered on river shipping in native lighters.
The Chinese conceal the dead bodies in the fields and desert the victims in the -houses, to avoid detention. From the camp where 2,000 suspects are undergoing five- day observation, hundreds continue escap- ing to the provinces, despite strong quaran- tine regulations. Foreigners are not in fear of the disease. The feeling of panic is con- fined to the natives.
[The latest returns of cholera cases and deaths up to noon yesterday (says the Manila Times of the 28th ultimo) showed a total of 63 cases, and 48 deaths, which is an increase, for the previous 24 hours, of 14 cases, and seven deaths, and which brings the percentage of deaths down to 68.9 per cent. The increase in the cases is princip ally caused by several cases breaking out in already affected families.].
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
255
motion was carried, all voting for it with the exception of Mr. Osborne.
- ADDITIONS TO THE STAFF.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. sent in by owners and occupiers of Ice House Road protesting against the erection of
The PRESIDENT-I beg to move the suspen the urinal. The signatories were E. R. Belilios (by his attorney, R. Chatterton Wilcox). Chau Tung Shan (by his agent, sion of the standing orders in order to make Faug Wa Chun), W. A. Rublee, U.S. the following motion :—“ 'That the Board dele Consul-General, the Hongkong Ice Co., gate to a select committee, consisting of the Ld. (pro Wm. Parlano, manager), the Frozen, President and the Medical Officer of Health, Food Supply_(pro Wm. Parlane, manager), full powers to make whatever arrangements Wm. Danby. L. Pyle (mans.eress, Waverley may be necessary for obtaining temporary Hotel), Edm. Johannsen, A Hahn (Club additions to the staff to enable the officers of Eintracht). A Fong, Mee Cheung, G. P. Lam the Board to deal effectively with any outbreaks The object in mert, and Wendt & Co. The petitioners sub- of disease that may occur." mitted that the proposed site was open to even bringing this motion before the Board is to graver objections than the one in Battery Path, obvia e unnecessary delay. To take a case in A letter of protest from Mr. E. C. Wilks, point: some extra coolies are required for one of the proprietors of the Waverley Hotel, disinfecting purposes and in order to obtain these, papers had to be circulated round among was also submitted.
the Board, with the result that seven or eight It is most important that we days were lost. should have the disinfecting staff at full strength as son as possible; and if the Board approve of this motion it will obviate any delay in the future. If any epidemic does break out we must deal with it promptly and at once. I may mention here that last week less than 14 per cent. of the rats examined at the mortuary were found to be infected with plagus.
The President in his minute upon the corres- pondence remarked:" Will members please state whether they think that a similar reply should be sent as in the case of the American Conenl's letter."
The Registrar-General minnted:-"I agree, but should like to know when it was definitely decided to build this urinal in Ice House Street ?"
The Director of Public Works minuted, "I agree with the President."
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The Medical Officer of Health's minute was Hon. W. CHATHAM in seconding the motion said-I fully agree with your remarks, Mr. Pre- as follows" I agree with the President.".
The Acting Captain Superintendent of Police sident, that under existing conditions it is very minnted:-"Proceed as the President suggests." important that no time should be lost i pro- Mr. Edward Osborne :-" The whole question|ceeding with the necessary work of disinfection.
The motion was carried unanimou ly. requires reconsideration. Battery Path ar nal has existed for a number of years and can go on for a little longer till we have reconsidered the matter. I do not remember the Board having been consulted as to the proposed new site.”
Mr. Fang Wa Chun :-
:-"Under the circum- stances I am of opinion that urinals in this locality should not be permitted to exist.”
In reply to the enquiry of the Registrar- General.
The PRESIDENT stated that the adoption of this site was originally recommends at a meeting of the Public Works Committee held on the 23rd January, 1901,
Lieut. Colonel HUGHES-Why is the urinal to be removed from its present site ?
Dr. CLARK — Its removal has been recom- mended for anything from 15 to 16 years now. It does not matter where you go, yo i will have some objections to meet.
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The VICE-PRESIDENT-1 beg to move that the same reply be sent in this case as was done in th case of the American Cousal. If this site was selected more than a year ago and if people wanted to object, I think they ought t have objected before the contract was entered into and the work actually commenced, which is the case here. I do not see how we can possibly
Of course decision, | reconsider
the minutes of the Public Works Committee are laid on the table at the meetings of Council and are available by the newspapers.
Dr. CLARK SEConded.
our
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MANILA DEclared infECTED. The PRESIDENT, in moving that the Board recommend the Government to declar Manila to be an infected port,said—The object of this must be obvions. It is on account of the an epidemic presence there of cholers in form, making the inspection of ships arriving from Manila a necessary precaution.
The motion was agreed to.
PLAGUE-STRICKEN RATA IN KOWLOON. Dr CLARK-I beg to ask permission to bring forward a motion that would have been brought forward in the usual course at next regular meeting, to declare Kowloon a district within which cleansing work may be done. I am driven to bringing it forward to-day because. within the last half-hour I have received a report that twe of the ras found in Kowloon were plague-infected; and I think, under those circumstances, we should proceed at once with the cleansing work there. The motion is:
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That the Board define Kowloon as a district within which officers of the Board shall make a house-to-house visitation for the purpose of cleansing and disinfecting the premises con- tained therein, in accordance with the Bye-laws for the Prevention or Mitigation of Epidemic, Endemic, or Contagious Disease, made-under the Public Health Ordinance, No. 13 of 1901."
Mr. OSBORNE seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on the 3rd inst. in the Board Room, Present: Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Ciril Medical Officer (President); Hon. A. W. Browiu, Registrar-General (Vice-President); Hon. W. Chatham, Director of Public Works; Dr. F. W. Clark, Medical Officer of Health; Mr. F. J. Badeley, Acting Captain Superintendent of Mr. OSBORNE-I beg to move as an amend- The mortality statistics showed that during Police; Lieut.-Colonel Hughes, R.A.M.C.; Mr.ment that this matter be referred back to the the week ended 15th March the death-rate Edward Osborne, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock Government. I do not consider that the mere was 17.9 per 1.000 of the population per annuT (Secretary),
lacing on the table of the minutes of the as compared with 18.8 in the previous weak and Public Works Committee is a sufficient notifi-14.9 in the corresponding week of last year. cation to the people of the neighbourhood that this thing is going to be moved under their very noses. I think the site that has been selected, and which, as I say, I do not think was referred to the Sanitary Board, is not a good
L
THE NEW BUILDING BILL
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The following minute by the Medical Officer of Health was submitted:-"I beg to recom- mend that the Board should consider at its next annual meeting the advisability of recommending the Government to include, in the new Building Bill, a clause requiring the internal surfaces of the wall of all kitchens hereafter erected to be rendered smooth and impervious by means of Portland cement, asphalt, or such other material as may be approved by the Board, to a height of not less than four fest from the level of the floor. I
find that these kitchen walls become sodden with sullage water, thus rendering them offen- sive, soft, and often ruinous; and the above requirements would do much to obviate this condition."
The PRESIDENT moved that the minute be referred to the Government by the Board.
Lient-Colonel HUGHES secouded, and the motion was adopted unanimously,
VRINAL IN ICE HOUSE ROAD.
Further correspondence was laid on the table with reference to the proposed erection of a public urinal in Ice House Road.
The Colonial Secretary forwarded a petition
one.
As is set forth in the petition by the people in the neighbourhood the road is a highway to the Peak and the upper levels and it is a narrow street, surrounded by hote's, offices, and private buildings. I think that a better sité might be selected. I move accordingly.
Hoo, W. CHATHAM-If the motion had not been seconded by Dr. Clark I was perfectly prepared to do so. I think the Board is rather stultifying itself in proposing to delay any longer the carrying out of the work that has been urged by us for so many years. Anywhere that the place is put it must necessarily cause some little offence to those resident in proper ties in the neighbourhood; but I do not see that we can improve upou the position that has been chosen for such a place in this locality. therefore think that the petitioners should be answered to the effect that the Government cannot grant their request.
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The amendment was not seconded, and the
THE CLEANSING GANGS. ·
A return was submitted which showed that during the fortnight ended 22nd March; 1,033 houses had been dealt with by the cleansing gangs, the number of floors 'fumigated, being 1,60) and the number of floors aleatised 2,735.
This was all the public business.
Another meeting of merchants was held at Swatow on the evening of the 25th ull. was addressed by Mr. Jamieson on the tarif proposals. No resolutions were submitted,
The Shanghai Mercury of the 25th ult. says:-Governor Truppel left here for Kisochau yesterday. The official paper of Kiaochau stated that he came here for the purpose of consulting a physician, but we doubt this very much.
Dr. Schrameyer, Commissioner for Chinese Affairs, accompanied him here, and from what we can gather they both came here on business connected with shipping, and they have entered into an agreement with cert Japanese shipping companies that their stammers should call at Tsingtao.
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