:
376
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
.
atten ion.
[May 19, 1902.
THE HONGKONG WEÉKLY PRESŠ AND
Also read reply from Sir James Mackay to arise from the milk supply. I would recom mend that the. B‹ard declare the shed an infect-the effect that the question was receiving his A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held ed area, and in view of the urgency of the
matter I bave engaged two watebmen pro on the 15th inst. in the Board Room. Pre-visionally at a dollar a day, and beg to requ st sent Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil the authority of the Board for their appoint- Medical Officer (President); Dr. F. W. . lark, Medical Officer of Health, Hon. W. Chatham, Director of Public Works; Liont-Col. Hughes, RA.M.C.; Mr. E. Osborne, Mr Fung Wa Chun; and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
REOPENING OF WELLS.
A minute by the Medical Officer of Health was submitted strongly recommending, in connection with the question of the reopening of certain wells, that the Board should lay down the rule that no wells within domestic buildings should be reopened, as it is impossible for them to be kept unpolluted in Chinese dwellings,
Petitioners
matter
Colonel Hughes minuted that hesupported the Medical Officer of Health, as did also Mr. E. Os- borne, Hon. W. Chatham, and Mr. F. J. Badeley. Mr. Lau Chupak minuted: --" Any well which is not subject to sewage contamination, thongh it may happen to be situated inside the house, should be allowed to be reopened," Hon. A. W. Br.win minuted :- should be directed to apply to D. P. W."
The PRESIDENT.-Regarding this question of reopening wells, I move that the Board rocom- mend that no more wells be reopened in the City of Victoria. There is now overy indication of an abundaye of water, and, seeing that this is so, I am of opinion that it would be unwise to reopen wells all over the City. Many of them are shallow surface wells less than twelve feet in depth, and as such are liable to contamination. The
Was carefully considered by the Board in 1994 and 1895, and it was decided to close the wells as a sanitary measure, seeing how polluted the water in many of them was. There is now the further danger of pollution by cholera germs. regard to the water question generally, al- water to though an abundant supply of dwelling-houses is one of the first sanitary principles, this, submit, is not applicable to a town with a Chinese population such as that of Victoria. It is excellent for a town of Europeans, but with the Chinese, who break nearly every principle of sanitation, it is waste to lay on water to every Chinese dwelling-house, and it would go far to prevent the possibility of another water famine if the old system were reverted to of bydrants where the Chinese could obtain their water. Frequently during the recent scarcity of water we have seen tapa running on continuously for the short time that water was laid on. The Chinese cannot be taught to be careful in the matter.
With
The Board divided up n the question: and it was decided that no wells in domestic buildings be reopened and that no more wells in the City: of Victoria be reopened. Mr. Fung Wa Chun voted against the proposition, and Mr. E, "Osborne did not vote.
CLEANSING WORK.
The report of the work done by the cleansing gangs in Kowloon during the fortnight ended 10th May showed that 607 houses had been dealt with, the number of floors fumigated being 1,613 and the number cleaned 1,664..
CHOLERA IN BORNEO.
ment."
-"That the Board The PRESDENT mored— declare shed No. 7 at the Dairy Farm, Pokfulam to be an infected aren, under the provisions of Bye-law 12 of Schedule A of Ordinance 17 of 1887."
Lient.-Col. resolution was adopted.
This was all the public business. HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HUGHES Seconded, and the
At the monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, held at. p.m on the 5th May, 192--Présent: Sir Thomas Jackson Chair mab), Hon. C. S. Sharp (Vice-Chairman) Messrs. A. Haupt, E. A. Hewett, Hon. J. J. Bell Irving, W. Poate, N. A. Siebs, H. E. Tomkins. R. C. Wilcox, Hon. T. H. White- head (ox officio), and A. R. Lowe (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the last Monthly Meeting (held 1st April, 1902) were read and confirmed.
CONGRATULATORY.
The CHAIRMAN-Before proceeding with the agenda, gentlemen, I shonld like (and I am sure you will all join me) to congratulate Mr. Sharp on the honour conferred upon him by the Governor in his appointment to a seat in the Legislative Council. I am confident he will do credit to the selection, and fill the post with ability and success. (Applause.)
Hon. C. 8. Sharp briefly acknowledged the compliment.
THE SECRETARYSHIP.
Mr. WILCOX announced that the Committee, having considered the applications for the vacant post of Secretary, had decided to offer the appointment to Mr. A. R. Lowe, who bad accepted it. letters announcing that the post has been filled, were, on the 21st April, despatch- ed to all the candidates..
The CHAIRMAN welcomed Mr. Lowe and expressed the belief that he would fill the post
with credit.
THE USE OF FOREIGN FLAGS BY JUNKS TO ENADE PAYMENT OF CHING-YRI.
Mr. Wilcox stated that, in terms of the decision reached at last meeting, a letter was, on the 5th April, addressed to the local Govern- ment, calling attention to the abuse of the harbour by Chinese junks whose owners, after taking in a cargo and leaving port, hoist for- eign flags and at the Taishan Customs Station exhibit Consular authority for doing so, for the purpose of evading payment of Ching-fei, a focal tax now collected by the Imperial Mari- | time Customs.
Read reply, received on the 23rd April, from the Colonial Secretary stating that the matter had been considered by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, who is in full sympathy with the opinions expressed by the Chamber, and the correspondence would be forwarded to the Secretary of State for such actin as the Home Government may deem desirable.
The CHAIRMAN said that this was a satisfact- oty reply.
CABLE RATES,
Mr.WILCOX reported that, in conformity with the decision arrived at last meeting a further letter was, on the 3rd April, addressed to the local Manager of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Co. calling attention to the reduc. tion in rates st Singapore and urging the claims of the Company's constituents in Hong- kong and China to similar consideration.
Read letter, dated 4th April, in reply stating that the substance of the Chamber's letter had been communicated to the Directors of the Company by wire and a copy of it was being posted by the outgoing mail.
Also read further letters in continuation of the correspondence dated 12th and 18th April, in which Mr. Von der Pfordten stated (1) that a reply to the Chamber's letter was being sent from London in a few days; (2) that the Chairman's remark at the annual meeting, vis., "that the unfair discrimination between India and the Far East is probably due to the influence of the Great Northern Company" is not cor- duction of tariffs on telegrams from Europe to rect; and (3) that the postponement of the re- China and Japan is not due to any resistance ALLEGED DIFFERENTIAL DUTIES ON paper.
Mr.
WILCOX stated that in accordance on the part of the Great Northern Company, with the decision come to at last meeting, but the reduction is dependent on the co-opera- a letter had been addressed to the Shang-tion of many different Administrations and can-
the Chamber enclosing copy of
not be arranged before the International Tai Shing Paper Manufacturing Co.'s Telegraph Conference meets in London next letter complaining of being imposed on their products as compared with those levied on Shanghai makes of the same quality, and asking if they could give any imformation on the subject.
hai
differential
duties
Read reply, dated 10th April, which was to the effect that the Shanghai Chamber being a cosmopolitan body, all communications had to be addressed to the Senior Consul, and it would be better therefore for the Hongkong Chamber to send the Tai Shing Co.'s letter direct to Sir Jas. Mackay or to the British Consul-General.
The VICE-CHAIRMAN said he thought the Shanghai Chamber hd rather begged the Correspondence was laid on the table with re-question. This Chamber had not asked them ference to the importation into Labuan of 12 cases of cholera on board the s.s. Sandakan. A telegram of date 7th May-stated that Bo neo was free from cholera.
NEW LATRINE.
A plan was approved of a new latrine to be erected in proximity to No. 3 Police Station.
OUTBREAK OF RINDERPEST.
to make representations to the Consul-General or to Sir Jas. Mackay, but bad simply applied to them for information preparatory.
After some discussion."
It was decided to address the British Consul- General at Shanghai and Sir Jas. Mackay direct on the subject.
CBSTRUCTIONS TO NAVIGATION IN THE CANTON RIVER.
The following letter from Mr. A. Gibson, Col-
It was announced that copies of the Memoran- onial Veterinary Surgeon, was read:-" I have dum by Capt. Lloyd were, with covering the honour to report for the information of the letters, sent on the 18th April to H.E. Board that several cases of rinderpest have oc- the British Minister at Peking and to Sir Jas. curred in a cattleshed containing 19 head of cat-Mackay. A letter was also addressed to the tle belonging to the Dairy Farm Company at Pokfulum. he shed in which the disease has occurred is about 150 yards distant from any other, cattleshed. and in view of the fact that the whole of the herd were inoculated some time ago, and have now been re-inoculated, I do not anticipate that the outbreak will extend beyond this shed. The whole of the animals inthe infected area are young, and none of them are giving milk, so that no danger can
Canton Chamber on the 4th April requesting its co-operation in taking steps to secure the re- moval of the obstructions in the Canton Biver. A letter of thanks had also been addressed to Capt. Lloyd.
Read reply from the Canton Chamber received on the 19th April stating that they would co- operate with the Chamber for this purpose with much pleasure.
year.
The CHAIRMAN said the difficulties pointed out by Mr. Von der Pfordten were, with diff- erence, encountered in India, but Lord Curzon insisted upon reduction in rates, and having sufficient influence, obtained it.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD advocated con. tinuing the agitation for a reduction in rat s to a reasonable basis, and expressed the opinion that if Hongkong had the same backing as India the difficulties would soon be surmounted.
After come discussion,
It was decided to reply to the last two letters accepting the explanation as to the position of the Great Northern Company in the matter, but to express the opinion firmly held by the Committee, that if it were really desired to grant to Hongkong and China tha same concessions that have been made to Indis and the Straits Settlements the difficulties raised by the various administrations might soon be arranged.
TYPHOON WARNINGS.
Read letter from Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, dated 15th April, calling the attention of the Committee to a letter which had appeared in that day's issue of the Hongkong Daily Press, under the above heading, and asking them to 4 take steps to ascertain whether the statements contained in that letter are correct or otherwise.
The CHAIRMAN stated that, before approach- ing the Government on the subject, it was thought advisable to seek confirmation or other- wise from the Director of the Sicawei Obser- ́
10
ratory of the statement that the notices issued by that establishment are 'flatly refused at Victoria."
A reply to that enquiry is now being awaited,
7
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.