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on
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HONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held
the 28th inst.
the Board
in
Room.
Hon. Dr. J. M. Atkinson presided, and there, were also present Hon. W. Chatham, Director of Public Works. Mr. Fung W. Chun; Colonel W. E. Webb, R.A.M.C.; Hon. H. E. Pollock, K.C., Mr. E. A. Hewett, Mr. A. Rumjabu; Dr. W. W. Pearse, Acting Medical Officer of Health; Dr. B. Barnett, Assistant
of Health; Mr. G.
Medical Officer
A.
Woodcock (Secretary) and Mr. J. H. Kemp (Assistant Secretary).
SHEKTONGTSUI MARKET.
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Correspondence was submitted relative to the the stalls in Shektongtsui Market, and on motion of the PRESIDENT, seconded by Mr. FUNG WA CHUN, it was agreed that stalls 11 to 13 be used for the sale of fruit and vegetable. THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND BUILDINGS BILL. The Acting M. O. H. minuted-As my refusal to countersign certificates of occupation of new buildings which do not comply with the amended sect. 153 of the P. H. O. has already caused opposition from architects I wish to draw the attention of the Board to this section particularly. Throughout the Colony there are a great number of ground floor rooms with
which no glazed window area be counted to legalise the room under section 153. While such rooms are used as shops and are open in front all day the want of window area is not felt, but when these rooms are used for other purposes, eg. family houses, opium-divans, common lodging-houses, etc., it becomes at once important to insist on section 153 being complied with. I should like the Board, in view of the great opposition which will be encountered, to state their decision as to whether they wish this section enforced with- out exception or not, and I will then instruct the inspectors in accordance with their decision. The President minuted:-The Board might make a ruling that no action shall be taken if the ground floors are used as shops, as it is not the custom to have glass fronts.
Mr. Hewett mianted-I agree with Mr. Pellock, if the shops are not also used as sleep- ing rooms.
Mr. Rumjahn minuted :-It would be better that the upper portion of shop fronts should be provided with a netting of small iron bars, placed conveniently apart to admit air during sleeping hars as shown on a sketch submitted by me in one or two committee meetings.
Mr. Pollock minuted:-In the case of shops, some relaxation of the street enforcément of the provisions appears to be desirable.
Mr. Lau Chu Pak minuted :-I agree with Mr. Pollock,
The D. P. W. minuted :-I agree with Mr. Pollock.
The PRESIDENT said this matter now came under Section 19 of Ord. 23 of 1903 by which each room must have a window area one-tenth of the floor area and one-half of that area must be glazed. Shops were rooms, but he did not think it was ever intended that this should apply to shops; and it occurred to him that it might be advisable that the Board should make a ruling to the effect that no action be taken if these ground floors were used as shops. The custom in the Colony was for the shops to be open during the day and closed with shutters during the night.
Mr. HEWETT asked if these shops were not used as sleeping-rooms?
Dr. PEARSE said in 99 cases out of 100 they were slept in.
The VICE-PRESIDENT moved that in connec- tion with this matter no action be taken by the Board in requiring a glazed area in the case of shop fronts so long as they were used as shops. Hon. Mr. POLLOCK seconded and the motion was agreed to.
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Mr. HEWETT, who did not vote, said, when referred to by the President, that they must not overlook the fact that nearly all these shops were used as sleeping rooms
The VICE-PRESIDENT remarked that that did not affect the question, for when people were asleep it was dark at night, and there was noobject in having a glass window in the place,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
SUMMART PROCEEDINGS.
(January 30, 1904.
the open space to be provided in the rear of The PRESIDENT moved "That the Board, the houses by the owner. They, therefore, under the provisious of Section 30 of the amended the application for the consideration Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, of the Board.
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1903, depute Inspector 8. M. Gidley to in- The D.P.W. minoted:-I am in favour of summary proceedings before a recommending this application to the Governor stitute Magistrate against any person contravening in Council. The type of house is a good one, auy of the Bye-laws duly made under Section and owing to the configuration of the ground, 16 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordin- the houses will stand above those in the rear auce, 1903, when so directed in writing by one of them. of the Medical Officers of Health," also " That This was agreed to. the Board, under the provisions of Section 256 of
the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903, depute Inspector S. M. Gidley to institute summary proceedings before a Magistrate for the recovery of any penalty imposed by Part II of the said Ordinance or any Bye-laws made thereunder, when so directed in writing by one of the. Medical Officers of Health."
WASHING 80ILED CLOTHES.
In consequence of a complaint having been made by Miss Johnston, Fairlea, Bonham Road respecting the habit of a large number of Chinese washing soiled clothes in the north surface channel opposite her house, and the fact that the smell from the channel was at times very offensive, Inspector T. P. Conolly laid the mat- ter before the secretary, and the acting Medical Officer of Health reported that the Sanitary Hon. Mr. POLLOCK thought that the nam- Board can prohibit the washing of clothes there. ber of prosecuting inspectors should be limitedIt would be as well to do this, he wrote, as the as much as possible, as there was a lot of time hot water from the Bonham Road pumping wasted while these inspectors were waiting on engine is sometimes used for washing in. their cases coming on at the Police Court.
The PRESIDENT said th re were only two auch inspectors.
The VICE-PRESIDENT 86conded.
The motion was agreed to.
There was submitted a letter from the Sani- tary burveyor recommending that Inspector R. Duncan be deputed by the Board to iustitute summar proceedings and to recover penalties.
The PRESIDENT moved that this appoint- ment be made.
The VICE-PRESIDENT secouded, and the motion was agreed to.
MOTION BY COLONEL WEBB,
Dr. Atkins a minuted:-If the members ap- prove a public notice will be put up prohibiting this.
The
Mr. E. A. Hewett minuted :-Prohibit. Sanitary Board should do what is possible to enable the Chinese to obtain water for washing clothes,
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Mr. Rumjahn minuted :-Yes, agree. Mr. Pollock minuted:-Prohibit by notice, Col. Webb minuted :-Prohibit,
Mr. Lau Chu Pak minuted. The Chinese wash their clothes there because they cannot obtain a sufficient supply from the main. Be- Colonel Webb had given notice of the follow-fore prohibiting it the board ought to see that ing motin¦—“ That the Board recommend the they be given a sufficient supply for washing Government to take the necessary steps to im- purposes. prove the sanitary condition (up to the military boundary) of the road leading from Hill Street to Lower Belcher Fort, and to supply adequate latrine accommodation for the Chinese in this part."
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Mr. Rumjahn minated :-There is a public latriue immediately below the Belcher's Fort, in Queen's Road West, on the site of the old slaughter-house..
The Acting Registrar-General minuted:- Cannot this hot water, which is now running to waste, be taken down to the corner of High Street and Pokfulam Road? It would be found very useful, I think, by the Chinese in Third Street and High Street.
The PRESIDENT moved that a notice-board be placed there warning these people not to wash clothes in these channels.
Colonel WERB said the state of this road The VICE-PRESIDENT seconded and the, mo-
! was dangerous to the health of the mention was agreed to.
the Chinese in the of the garrison and neighbourhood. In the middle of the
same.
CHINESE FIREPLACES,
On the motion of the PRESIDENT, seconded by Hon. Mr. POLLOCK, it was agreed that in cases where there were properly constructed flues, the Board should not insist on having hoods also.
Correspondence was laid on the table relative street was a channel which was used by the to Chinese fireplaces, etc., with tracings showing Chinese as a latrine and which smelt very He sugges ́ed that this be objectionably. covered over and a latrine put up near the place. The PRESIDENT said that when the M. O. H. was informed by Colonel Webb of the existence of this nuisance he visited the spot and correspondence had been started between the P.W.D, the Afforestation Department, and the Police in order to mitigate it as far as possible. Dr. PEARSE stated that his inspection of this place showed that the complaint of the military authorities was justified, but the only thing he could see for it was to have continuous police supervision.
The PRESIDENT moved that the C. S. P. be asked to take such steps as might be necessary for the abatement of this nuisance.
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK seconded, and the amend- ment was agreed to.
OPIUM-DIVANS,
Further correspondence relative to concreting the floors of opium-diváns on the upper stories was considered by the Board.
On the motion of the PRESIDENT it was agreed that a sufficient flooring for the upper floors of such divans be smooth-faced ceinent
tiles
MODIFICATON WANTED.
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Mr. HEWETT remar ed that that should be conditional on the Chinese putting their chatties on the fireplaces. When there was no room there they often put a row of chatties in other parts The inspectors would have to of the room. keep a look-out for them.
DE PEARSE-It is absolutely impossible to prevent the Chinese from putting chatties in. the corners of their rooms
Dr. PEARSE--Then I would suggest that the inspectors break them if they find them there.
screens
SCREENS AND CUBICLES. A minute by the M.O.H. was submitted relative to cubicles and
on ground floors.
The P ESIDENT moved that these screens be allowed so long as they were of light material and wire drawn aside during the day. It had been suggested that they could not even have a mosquito-net.
Mr. HEWETT Seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
HEALTHY HONGKONG.
Messrs Palmer and Turner again wrote to the Board with reference to the application of Against the mortality statistics Mr. Rumjaho the 30th ult respecting the proposed houses had minuted, "Who said Hongkong was net a on I.L, No. 679 for which they asked for a healthy place ?" and he backed this up by quoting modification of the requirements of sect. 180 figures showing that for the first three-quarters f Ordinance 1 of 1903. It will be remem- of December the rate per 1,000 in Hongkong bered that the Board submitted there was no was over two points lower than those of the power to make the modification, and applicants city of London and seven or eight large towns. now wrote that sect. 180 gave the Board the The VICE-PRESIDENT said they had heard power, wherein it stated and may, in any so much lately of the unhealthiness of Hong- case, make such modification as may be re-kong that it was very satisfactory to learn commended by the Board." It would have about our low death-rate.
The PRESIDENT reminded the Board, how- { been more correct, perhaps, they wrote, had
wo applied for a modification of the require-ever, that Hongkong differed very much from ments of Ordinance 1 of 1903 with respect to London in respect that the great majority
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