July 14, 1902.]
Board meant this to apply only to cargo vessels. Of course the steamers not carrying doctors will be examined when they arrive in the port by the port officers.
Mr. OSBORNE The recommendation, as I understand it, is that the passenger-traffic from Canton should be all supervised every vessel, in fact, coming from Canton. Those Fessels which elect to carry their own doctors will not be examined. That seems to me to be the sum and substance of the recommendation. If the small steamers choose to carry doctors, I should allow them to do so and put them on the same terms as the bigger steamers.
Mr. LAU CHUPAK-Will the small launches running to Macao have to carry doctors?
Mr. OSBONE--No, bat they will have to undergo detention and inspection when they arrive. The intention of the Board was to encourage the carrying of dcetors, I do not think it was the intention to make any particular steamers carry doctors; the encouragement would be that they would not suffer detention when they arrived, if they carried a doctor.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN-Is it not the case that we found no cases by inspection of teamers on arrival? We had inspection but never found any cases.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
it is quite possible, in my opinion, that the bouse | might be demolished, provided the rains orm were of sufficient duration. I observed the effects of the recont ru.Ls on Austin Road, Kowloon, where the water as it accumulated washed out the surfacing to an increasing width alongside the gutter-channel and finally dis- charged along the top of Macdonnell Read into the Harbour. Apart from the expense of restoring the roads, there is every chance of some serious accident being caused by the washing out of holes in them during heavy storms. I submit that I cannot be held responsible for the condition of the roads or for any sach accident as may occur, if the grids are to be retained."
The Colonial Seor tary asked:-"Can nar- rower gratings be submitted? If so, at what estimate of cost?
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the Public Works Department, and the Govern- ment can decide between them and us. there is another way out of the difficulty, as I have pointed out before these nettings oonld be fixed in such a way that, whilst they are of practical use in keeping the rats in the drains, they could be lifted in one instant whenever a storm comes on; in fact, a child would lift them. It is done by hinging them on one side. I quite appreciate the difficulty which Mr. Chatham has spoken of, but at the same time-I believe the nettings have been of nse, and it would be a pity to get rid of them if the difficulty can be got over in the way I have suggested.
The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKS – With regard to what Mr. Osborne has said, sir, as to hinging these grids, everyone knows they are very light in coustraction, and it stands to reason at least, it seems perfectly obvious to me that they would never be closed, and if they could so very easily be operated then even a rat could push them open and get out if it
'I he Director of Public Works replied the following letter:- The uarrower gratings form part of my improved gully, which it is proposed to construct in lien of the existing ones. The gratings would not be suitable, how-wished to do so. ever, for the present gullies, as the arrangem nt is very different, nor would it be worth while to go to the expense of substituting new gratings, as the reconstruction will shortly be taken in hand. As many of the gratings kept partly open, the idea that the grids prevent the egress of rats is absurd. The grids should be removed until the end of the rainy season at least, when they can be
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Mr. OSBORNE-It was not thorough. Mr. FUNG WA CHUN-I think it thorough.
The PRESIDENT - In 1895 cases were dis-refixed if desired." covered on the Macao steamers.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN-Yes, one or two cases. I do not see why owners of steamers should be put to this extra expense of carrying doctors. I do not think we should derive much good from them.
Mr. OSBORNE--It is one of Professor Simp- son's recommendations, and it is not our place to haggle about the recommendations but to carry them out. I more that a reply be sent to the Government to the effect that every vessel arriving from Canton and Macao should be thoroughly examined, excepting those that choose to carry a medical officer.
The PERSIDENT--That is when these places are infected with plague?
Mr. OSBORNE-Certainly. Colonel HUGHES seconded.
The PRESIDENT--Ships that carry doctors will simply go to the quarantine anchorage and hoist a flag, and will not be detained any length of time.
The motion was carried by 6 votes to 1, Mr. Fung Wa Chun voting against.
CONTRAVENTION OF BY-LAWS.
The PRESIDENT, in the absence of Dr. Clark, moved the following motion-"That the Board depute Inspector Frank Allen to institute summary proceedings before a Magistrate against any person contravening any of the Bye-laws made under Section 13 of the Public Health Ordinance No. 13. of 1901, when so instructed by the Medical (çer. to which the following minute w pended:- Inspector Allen, having been promoted to the first class, has been placed in charge of the limewashing of tenement houses, and the above resolution is required under Section 27 (2) of the Public Health Ordinance to enable him to deal with breaches of the Bye-laws governing "Domestic Cleanliness and Ventilation.'
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS seconded, and the motion was carried.
SEWER GRATINGS,
Further correspondence was laid on the table relative to the removal of the iron nettings over the sewers and storm-water gratings.
The Secretary had informed the Government that the Board had decided to recommend that the wire-netting be not removed until gratings or other contrivance with small interspaces be substituted for the present gratings.
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The Director of Public Works wrote to the Colonial Secretary as follows:+"I hope it is realised that the re'ention of the grids may lead to very serious consequences. With the streets on so steep a slope as they are to the south of Queen's Road, the water rushes down, during heavy rainstorms, with great force. Being unable to escape by the gratings provided for the purpose, on account of the grids, the volume is sufficient to cause serious damage. If through any cause one of these streams were to impinge on the wall of a house,
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The Colonial Secretary, in further reply, wrote: I understand that the scavenger coolies have to leave the gratings partly open or the rain-water cannot escape, and thereby renders the wire-netting useless."
Mr. OSBORNE-Sir, I beg to move as an amendment that the Government be asked to hinge these nettings or attempt to get over the difficulty in some other way than by removing them.
Lisut. Col. HUGHES--I beg to second. I also am greatly opposed, to doing away with these grids. We recommended these nettings last year when we were taking every precaution to fight the plague in the coming season, and it was only after very mature consideration that the Board agreed to have them put up. Personally, I think myself they have done good service in the preseut case. The rat transmits plague to man-no que cau gainsay that, and our object is to keep the rat away as much as we can, and I believe these grids have done that. I venture to say we have, had a heavier rainfall up to date this year ia Hongkong certainly than we had last year, the first rainy season saw here, and I have not seen any wonderful amount of damage done-houses washed away, or anything of that sort,
The DIRECTOR of PUBIC WORKS-I hope the Board will see its way to rescind its former decision in connection with this matter. It is perfectly absurd that we should put on grids to keop rats from getting out the gratings or going into the gratings, and at the same time to have these gratings open at the side in such a way that any quantity of rats can get in and out freely. There is no question about The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKS-If I it that the retention of these grids on the may be allowed again, sir, I should like to say, gratings is a source of real danger in the with regard to Col. Hughes's emphasis of the case of heavy rainstorms. It must cause remark made by Mr. Osborne, that it is a mistake great danger-it does cause great danger. The for members to flatter themselves that, these roads, every one must have seen, have been grids can have bad any material effect in the scoured out where the water pours down dban- direction indicated- -as regards keeping the nels from the hills, and through being checked rates in, because, as I say, I have seen times with- it may cause much greater danger in the way outnumber, in going about the streets, these grat- of bringing down retaining walls, and mayings pulled back, and what practical value can be even lead to loss of life. I therefore hope the placed upon them when they are in that position? Board will see its way to rescind its decision Any number of rats could come out. It is during the rainy season any way.
entirely wrong to say they have had any practical effect in keeping the rats in the drains for any long period. ·
Mr. OSBORNE--I agree with the Hon. Director of Public Works that it is ridiculous to have these grids and at the same time not to use them. At the--
The PRESIDENT-Do you second the motion? Mr. OSBORNE-No.
The PRESIDENT-It has not been seconded yet, then.
Mr. MESSER-I second it.
Mr. USBORNE (continuing)—At the same time the obvious reply to that, sir, is not to remove the grids, but to make use of them and not to take these iron gratings out of their pro- per position. Whether these grids have been of any use it is of course very difficult to say, but I have heard-I cannot vouch for the truth of the report-but I bave heard from more than one Fource that during the first two rainstorms of this year a number of dead rats were washed into the harbour, and I believe it was so. Further more, this is the first year since 1894 that the Colony has been attacked by plague and plague kept under. Furthermore, we have it on the very best authority that
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greatest disseminators of plague, and therefore, in every way we can, we ought to kill or keep down rats; we should do it even at the risk of damage in other directions, As regards the danger to roads, that is not the concern of the Sanitary Board; the Sanitary Board should stick to its decision. His Excellency the Governor was in favour of it, and we should not stultify ourselves by recom- mending the removal of these grids now. If the heavy rains choke these gratings, demolish houses, and tear down the walls, that is not the business of the Sanitary Board; that is the business of
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Mr. OSBORNE I may be under a wrong impression. It is quite true that this year some of these gratings have been displaced but it is only recently. These nettings were not displaced until after the first heavy rain- storm, and they certainly did a lot to keep the rats in the drains.
Mr. FUNG WA CHON-Cannot the Sanitary Board arrange to have a dozen coolies to look after this netting? They could go round every day in the rainy season and lift them up or put them back again.
The PRESIDENT-Dr. Clark informs us that 100 coolies are toll off to do this work.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN-In that case I don't think they are doing their work properly.
Mr Osborne's amendment was then put to the meeting and carried by a imajority of 5 to 2, the Director of Public Works and Mr. Messer voting against it.`.
CHOLERA AT TIENTSIN. Mr. OSBOEN-I notice, sir, that Tientsin has been proclaimed an infected port, but Tong- ku and Taku have not been included, as sug- gested by the Board. As everyone knows, there is not the slightest use in declaring Tien- tsin when all ships come from Tongkų!or' Taku. · They do not come from Tientsin at all, except a few very small ones. The cholera1 is at Tientsin, and Tongkn is the port of Tianfäfo ; Taku is just outside in the Bay; and although there may not be any cholera at Tongku and Taku still the people coming from Tientsin come through these ports, either by boats down the river or by rail. It is Tientsin wê wajit to guard against, yet although ships might ödme
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