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proper course to adopt. The carrying out of this work, he understood, was entirely in the hands of the Board, and its performance was looked after by its executive officers who, if they had instructions, would no doubt do their best. to instigate or prevent any nuisancs of this kind. At the same time, of course, wherever scavenging had to be done dust was a necessary concomitant, but he thought that if the hours could be regulated so that the sweeping would be done, as had been suggested, when the streets were free from passers-by, then there could be no grounds for complaint.
Mr. OSBORNE agreed to the President's sug. gestion and said he would not press his motion.
f
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND stand by and see that it is not used for drinking purposes?
OTHER NUISANCES BY COOLIES Mr. OSBORNE next moved: That Govern. ment be asked to make provision in the next! conservancy contract for fining the contractor when ther are reasonable grounds to suspect that his coolies have thrown night-soil into the drains or on to the hillsides." Under the terms of the contract, he understood, uo provision was made for punishing the contractor when his coolies committed the offences indicated in the motion, and whilst he admitted that his sugges- tion meant the adoption of a course opposed to British laws and ideas, he was of opinion that as it was impossible to follow in the tracks of coolies pursning the occupation mentioned to see that they discharged the duties attaching thereto in a proper manner, the contractor should be fined in every cass where a coolie's burden had been thrown into a drain or on the hillside. In the case brought to his notice, concluded Mr. Osborne, there was evidence to show that a coolie had dumped his burden on the hillside draining into Pokfulam Reservoir, and that was a very serious affair, more especially as, he understood, a case of cholera had occurred in the house.
Hon. Dr CLARK said he was prepared to formally second the motion merely with a view to enable the Board to obtain the advice of the Crown law advisers, As Mr. Osborne had said, the suggestion as it stood was a travesty of British law and probably could not be put into force in that particular way. It was pos sible, however, that the difficulty might be got over by a bye-law. The Board had the power to make bye-laws, and these bye-laws had the direct force of law; but at any rate this was a point which he thought might be considered and dis. cussed by the law advisers of the Crown. It Mr. Osborne would coucur, he should like to suggest that the question be referred to the law advisers of the Crown. He would be very pleased to meet the Crown Solicitor and discuss the matter with him.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN said he was in favour of such a bye-law being made as had been suggested. If the making of it lay with him, he would not confine himself to dealing with offences com- mitted on the hillside but over the whole of th Colony.
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Mr. OSBORNE-That is done privately. Mr. FUNG WA CHUN replied that while that was so, a stringent law was necessary. He had heard complaints after complaints that the night-soil coolies simply dumped the night-soil into the storm-drains, Last week he had heard of such a case occurring at the junction of Old Aberdeen Road and Hollywood Road. It was really an awful thing, and those coolies who offended in this way should be severely punished.
The motion was carried unanimously.
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Hon, W. Chatham-" Close,
Mr. C Mel. Messer-" Clos`,"
The PRE IDENT moved that the well be closed, Mr. OSBORNE seconded.
The motion was carried nem con.
MORTALIY STATISTICS,
The mortality statistics of the Colony for the wea' ended 11th October show the death rate per 1000 per annum to be 14.9, against 19.3 for the previous week an 1 20.1 for the corresponding period of last year.
RETURNS OF RATS
Daring the week eaded 27th October the total number of rats caught in the Colony by the Board's rat-catchers was 1,883–1.260, of which 2 were infected. in Victoria, and 628, of which 11 were infected, in Kowloon
This was all the business.
THE JUNKS COLLISION ORDINANCE.
November 3, 1902.
THE NAVAL AND MILITARY
ACTIVITY IN HONGKONG,
Dring the past week the greatest activity has prevailed at the Naval depots in the Colony, and speedy preparations are being made for the despatch of warships uorthward. As is usual in such cases, the authorities are extremely reticent in the matter of giving any information as to the movements on foot, and the secret of the reason for the unwonted departure of the warships from Hongkong at this time has been so far well guarded. H.M.S. Espeigle 1. ft for Shanghai on Tuesday. Ou Wednesday the sloop Algerine also sailed for the same destination. The cruiser Amphitrite was expected to sail on Wednesday too, and, with that end in view, she went on a short trial spin at 8 on her return to the Harbour it was found that she had sustained a slight breakdown in herrugines and cousequently her depa. ture was delayed.
..:
On the 30th ult. there was no appreciable diminution in the signs of activity in the Naval Yard and abord the British warships iu
In the Government Gazelle of the 25th ult.
the harbour, and as a result rumours was printed a Bill about to be introduced into the Legislative Connell, which merits more publicity and conjecturs were as rife and as startling than is to be obtained in the comparative MS. Blenheim took her place. Naturally, as ever. F.M.S. Cressy came out of doek and obscurityof the Gazelle. Tue Bill is entitled the Juuks (Collision) Ordinance, aud, put shortly, it provides that in the event of a collision åt night between any junk and any non-Chinese sailing or steam ship outside the territorial waters of the Colony, the junk shall be held to blame unless she can prove she was carrying at the time the lights required by the Inter national Regulations for preventing collisions
In the “objects and reasons
at sea.
attached to the Bill it is stated : It is to be regroiled that Chinese junks cannot be compelled to observe at least that portion of the Regulations which relates to lights. In the waters of the Colony, juuks are required, by Section 25 (1) of Ordinance No. 36 of 1899; who under way between snuset and suurise, to exhibit, at a height not less than 20 feet above the hull, a bright white light visible all round the horizon at a distance of at least one mile. Beyond such waters they seem to carry a light or not as they please. Although the Legislature of this Colony cannot compel the observance of the International Rules concerning lights by juuks outside the territorial waters, there can be no injustice in refusing to allow successful resort to the Colonial Con t by junks neglecting to carry proper lights thems-lves, while claim- ug damages for a collision with some ship which is subject to the International Regulations."
A more complete condemnation of the Bill than that contain d in these paragraphs conld not be written in the guise of objects aud reasons for introducing it. If it is proper for a junk to carry a white light on her mast visible for at least one mile all round the horizon and uo side lights while within the territorial waters of the Colony, why is it improper to carry the same light outside ? Yet by the International Regulations a sailing vessel may uot carry such a light on her mast and must carry red and green side-lights. The territorial waters of the Colony are a crowded with shipping as any waters in the neighbour. Hood, but the Legislature of the Colony does not compel the observance of the Regulations concerning lights by junks within those waters, because of the onerous character of the requirem uts of those regulations and of the hardship that would be imposed on the Chinese seafaring population of the Colony in refusing to allow successful resort to the Colonial Court by junks neglecting to carry the lights proper under those regulations. If the Government does not consider it reasonable or just to impose the Regulations on junks in The report was circulated amongst members, the territorial waters, it is hard to see how the who were asked to state whether they agreed Government can justify its proposal to penalise that the well should be closed. The followingjunks for not conforming to the Regulations
in the neighbouring seas. minutes were appended :-
of the Government is in
IMPURE WATER.
The analysis by Mr. F. Brovne, Government Analyst, of a sample of water taken from a well at 99, Jervois Street, showed that the water was so tainted with impurities as to be unfit for potable purposes and likely to prove injurious to health
Col. Hughes-“ Close." Mr. Lau Chu Puk-"No, if the water is not used for potable purposes."
International
The proposal fact hopelessly illogical. If the provisions of Ordinance 36 of 1899 are satisfactory in practice, the
pro- posals of this Bill go further than is required in the interests of shipowners. If this Bill is necessary for the protection of shipowners, Ordinance 35 of 1899 should be amended and the same law enforced in and out of the Who is going to territorial waters.
Mr. Fung Wa Chuo-"I am not in favour of closing this well so long as the water is not used for potable purposes, and a notice should be posted up to this effect."
Mr. F. J. Badeley—" Close." Hon. Dr. Clark-“ Close.
the authorities observe the utmost reticence, but whether their secrecy conceals a serious political move or is simply the natural con- comitant of a demonstration embracing no international significance whatever-a kind of experiment iu mobilisation-is of coarse impossible for those outside to decide.
Our own opiniou inclines in the latter direction, and it has the support of views held in semi- official circles.
One report that obtained currency in the Colosy on Thursday was to the effect that the Welsh Fusiliers would not take their departure on Saturday, as, we believ, was originally in- ten-led. It was stated that a regimental order was issued that those of the Fusiliers already here were to be ready to embark for Shanghai at once; and that at 10a.m. this order was cancelled, immediate embarkation for India being substituted, this again being cancelled. This report, so far as it went, was correct, bat there is no known political reason for the delay. The transport Wakool, which arrived on Thurs- day afternoon from the North with about two hundred of the Welsh Regiment on board, is from sailing possibly till Monday. Beyond this, to undergo some repairs which will prevent her
we have been uuable to ascertain any reason for the statement that the Fasiliers are to b detained in view of possible emergency.
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On Friday afternoon H.M.S. Amphitrite left for the North, her destination being given as Weihaiwei. H.M.S. Creay was taking in stores, etc., all day.
H.E. SENHOR CASTELLO BRANCO
IN HONGKONG,
1.E. Seubor Conselheiro José d'Azev do Castello-Branco and suite arrived here on the 28th ult. by. the German Mail steamer Hamburg on their way home. On the arrival of the steamer Senhor Conselheiro Romano went on board to mest His Excellency, and shortly afterwards he landed and proceeded to the King Edward Hotel. The Acting Governor of Macao, Mr. Basto, the president of the Leal Senado of Macao, and several Government officials from Macao, camo over by the Heungshan to meet the Minister and to coufer with him probably on the subject concession just obtained by H.E. of the from China for the construction of a Macao. Canton railway and the advantages for commerce and navigation for Macao
Senhor Branco was entertained at dinner on Tuesday at the residence of Senhor Conselheiro Romano, the Portuguese Consul General. Among those present, besides the Minister, Dr. Lello, Acting Governor of there were Macao; Mr. A. J. Basto, the president of the Leal Senado, Mr. Moraes, Portuguese Consul at Canton; Lient. Santos, aide-de-camp to the Acting Governor; Mr. C. d'Assumpção, the interpreter to the Embassy; Captain d'Azevedo and officers of the Portuguese gunboats Die and Zaire; Mr. J. J. Leiria, the Vice-Consul for The ladies Brazil; and Mr. J. P. Leite. present were Mrs. Romano and Mrs. Leiria,
DONNA
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