October 10, 1903.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The COLONIAL TREASURER said the question had never been raised until now, and he found that complaints from the New Territory were the reason given for it.
HIS EXCELLENCY replied that that was be cause the New Territory was the only part from which they had complaints.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY remarked that they had some power under the Women and Children Protection Ordinance; this would be increased by the proposed Ordinance. If there was any doubt about it they should leave the Bill in Committee and refer it to the Registrar-General.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL stated that the Registrar-General had already gone through the Bill and it did not go as far as he wanted.
The position of matters is becoming quite noute, as reports prove in the New Territory, and something must be done. It is a very delicate matter to handle, but I think we are approaching it in the right way. Of course, in ordinary, the remedy would be a civil one, but this is not an ordinary matter; or rather the oiroumstances are not ordinary but quite The COLONIAL TREASURER said that when extraordinary. There is no such thing in he was Registrar-General in 1823 he fre- practice as a civil remedy in the Newquently investigated cases of this kind, Territory, and at the same time it does not make for the proper maintenance of peace and good order to have men without any remedy at all against the persons who deprive them of the women of their households. It is therefore proposed that every person who without reasonable excuse shall knowingly receive or harbour any Chinese woman married according to the laws or customs of China who has left the protection of her husband shall be liable on conviction before a magistrate in a summary way to penalty not exceeding $100, or in default of payment to im prisonment with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding three months Of course in legislating, as it were Tor the protection of a husband in his household one has to be extremely careful that the law is not such as might be made a weapon for undue oppression of the women who form the household, and so the Bill provides that DO woman shall be deemed to have left her husband without reasonable excuse or cause if it can be shown to the magistrate that the husband deserted her or failed properly to maintain her or ill-used her.
I believe that with that safeguard the provisions of this Bill will be found to be useful in preventing a habit which, unless checked, will lead to mischief in the New Territory.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The Council then went into Committee on the Bill.
Clauss 1 read as follows:-" This Ordinance may be cited as the Magistrates (Amendment) Ordinance, 1903, and shall be read and con- trued as one with the Magistrates Ordinance, 893, and the Magistrates Ordinance, 1898.
the words "Ordinance, 1890, and Magistrates' Hon Mr. POLLACK moved that instead of Ordinance, 1898," the words “Ordinances 1890 to 1900" be substituted. In Ordinance 16 of 1900 the original Ordinance and the amending Ordinances were cited together 38 the Magistrates Ordinances 1890 to 1900." He thought it advisable to adopt that expression in this Ordinance,
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The ATTORNEY-GENERAL held that the amendment was neither desirable, expedient, nor in any way required. In the case referred to by the hon. member it was necessary to refer to all the Ordinances; here it was not.
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK contended that the other Ordinances were just as germane to this
Ordinance as to No. 16 of 1980.
On a vote being taken there voted for the amendment Mr. Pollock, Mr. Dickson, Dr. Ho Kai, and Mr. Wei Yak-4; and against the amendment-the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney-General, the Colonial Treasurer, the Harbour-Master, the Director of Public Works, the Principal Civil Medical Officer, the Colonel Commanding, and Sir Paul Chater. Mr.
Gershom Stewart did not vote.
The amendment was therefore lost.
The COLONIAL TreasurER raised the ob- jection that the Billy referred to the whole of China. The scope should be limited to the Colony.
HIS EXCELLENOY supposed a case of a man living at Samchun whose wife came over the boundary on to the British side. Suppose she were robbed, they would punish the robbers. If the woman was enticed across the border and
enticing was made an offence, surely the husband ought to have redress as well as in the case of robbery There had been complaints from people in the New Territory.
The COLONIAL TREASURER said they had had similar complaints from people in Canton and other places from many years.
Hos Dr. Ho Kai remarked that the Chinese had very severe láws against harbouring & run- away wife so many strokes and sometimes decapitation. These laws did not apply to the New Territory and is was right that some such protection as was contemplated in the Ordinance should be introduced,
HIS EXCELLENCY said the only point seemed to be whether they should confine the protection, which the Ordinance gave to hus bands, to husbands residing in the Colony.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL Baw no objec- tion to the addition of the words "Domiciled in the Colony"
Hon. WEI YUK thought the Ordinance would be of no use if they restricted its scope.
His EXCELLENCY added that the reason for the introduction of the Ordinance was that some
men in the new Territory hal complained of their wives being enticed away, and found out that he had no power te act in the matter. They wanted to give such meu a redress by law. I would be well perhaps to adjourn consideration of the Ordinance.
This course was agreed to and the Bill was left in Committee.
The Council adjourned sine die.
HONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on Thursday afternoon in the Board Room. Hon. Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil were also present Hon. W. Chatham, Director Medical Officer (President), prosided, and there of Public Works (Vice-President); Mr. C. Mol Messer, Acting Registrar-General; Colonel W. E. Webb, R.A.M.C, Captain F. W. Lyons, Acting C.S.P.; Mr. Fung W. Chun, Mr. Lau Cha Pak, Mr. A. Rumjahn, Hou. H. E. Pollock, K.C.; Mr. E. A. Hewett; Dr. Pearse, Acting Medical Officer of Health; Dr. Barnett, Assistant Medical Officer of Health; and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
PREVENTI'N OF PLAGUE NEXT YEAR.
There appeared on the agenda, as to be considered confidentially, a minute by the M.O.H. relative to the question of what preven- tative measures are to be undertaken during the
coming winter against plague next year.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN moved the suspension of the Standing Orders to allow him to move a certain alteration of the agenda.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN then moved that the item mentioned above be considered in public; it had been customary in previous years to consider this matter in public, and the principle
ought to be adhered to.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK seconded,
The PRESIDENT stated that he had no
objection to this being done. The only thing he wished to say was that this involved a con. siderable amount of expenditure and matters of that kind were generally considered in private.
The motion was agreed to. At a later stage,
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The PRESIDENT said he thought they were all agreed that some cleansing measures must be taken in the winter to combat this disease. The question was whether the Board should
recommend the Government that its own officers
should undertake the work of cleansing as in 1901 and 1902 or whether the Board should allow the Chinese to do it themselves as they had done last winter. Last winter was excep- tional as there was a greater dearth of water than one generally met with. That might account for the cleansing not having been so effectual as in the previous winter. In neither 1895 nor 1897 which were mild years was there any general cleansing in the preceding winters.
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He thought overcrowding was a more important factor than cleansing.
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK moved that cleansing ba carried out by the people themselves under the supervision of the officers of the Board. They should educate the Chinese to do something for themselves.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK expressed himself as in accordance with Mr. Pollock's views.
Mr. HEWETT trusted that the experiment carried out by the Governor in the Western Distriot would be extended to the whole of "town.
the
that the Chinese would respond to the call of the
Mr. FUNG WA Chun expressed the belief. Board if they were called upon to cleanse their.. houses. The best step to take was to enlist their co-operation.
Mr. RUMJAHN seconded the motion, and it was agreed to.
On the motion of the FRESIDENT, the follow- ing committeee was appoiuted to arrange for the work of cleausing to be carried out, district by district:-Messrs. Lau Chu Pak and Fung Wa Chun, Dr, Pearse and Mr. Hewett, A A PUBLIC NUISANCE IN QUEEN'S ROAD EAST, With reference to a question put by Hon. H. E. Pollock relating to an objectionable public convenience in Queen's Road East in front of No. 3 Police Station,
The VICE-RESIDENT stated that probably the introduction of a extractor fan would effect an improvement.
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This course of action was agreed to.
PLAGUE-INFECTED RATS,
The following minute by the M.OH. rẹ plague-infected rats was laid on the table
At a meeting of the Board held on the 9th April this year it was decided that, during the continuance of the epidemic of plague, it was not advisable to treat rat-holes with carbolic, acid or to fill them up with cement. Thọ ✨ object was to prevent as much as possible. driving rats from infected houses into non, infected ones. Now, however, that the epidemic of rats as effectually as possible. The plague is over, it is necessary to take steps to rid houses inspectors are now engaged in inspecting houses
ment of the rat-catching staff comparatively few for rat-runs and in seeing notices to fill in rat-.. runs are complied with. Since the re-arrange
rats are as yet being caught, but many more are now being caught alive in houses than formerly, and the percentage of plague-infected rats has gone up. I feel sure, and I think every member of the staff is of the same opinion, that the only way to get the people to help in destroying rats is to avoid disturbing them I quite agree with the idea that a house when a plague rat is found on their promises.
in which
a plague-infected rat has been- found may be as great a source of danger as, if not greater than, a house in which a human case of plague has occurred and that logically we
ought to turn out and disinfect every house from
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however, that the moment we do this, the people. which a plague rat has come. It is quite certain,
will determine that no more rats shall be caught on their prem ses. Of o urse it is open to us to disinfect every house within, say, 100 yards of the space where a plague-infected rat has been as. to make picked up in the street, so
are disinfecting:the tolerably sure that we right house. Disinfection is worse than useless unless properly carried out, and the method which has been adopted here formerly, is, L think, inadequate as a preventive measure, while it is extremely irritating to the people. T
refer to the washing ont of the ground floors ouly of houses near where a plague rat has been found. At present the inspectors offer disin- fection to the tenants where an infected rat has been found, or will give them disinfectants for their own use if they wish. The question of what is to be the policy of the Board in this matter is an important one, and should, I think, be decided very soon by the Board."
The President :-"There can be no doubt.
that most of the rats caught before August, when a bonus was given for each think, will be to have the rat-ruus treated introduced to the Colony, The best plan, carbolic acid and filled in, and for the insp to persuade the people to cleanse and the houses in which plagne rats are fo
Mr. Fang Wa Chnn. →. the A.M.O.H, that the people would no or allow the rats to be caught, even
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