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August 22, 1904.]
It is proposed to appoint juries which will submit the various objects exhibited to an exhaustive examination, and will award to them diplomes commensurate with their merit.
As the Exhibition will open in little more than twelve months from the present date, my Directors are desirable of obtaining the deci- sion of your Government as speedily as possible. Yours, etc.,
(8d.) George COLLINS LEVEY. The Officer Administering the
Government of Hongkong. It was decided to reply that the Committee sympathised with the objects of the exhibition, and that the Registrar-General of Chinese might be instructed by the Government to place before the Chinese the advantages to be gained by sending exhibits of blackwood, ivory ware, silver ware, etc.
CLAYTON APPARATUS FOR DISINFEC. TING SHIPS.
The following letter was read :---
Colonial Secretary's Office.
6th July, 1904. SIE,-1 am directed to forward for the in- formation of your Committee a copy of a report by the Port Health Officer, Singapore, relative to the Clayton Apparatus for disin. fecting ships.
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The question of the advisability of introducing the apparatus into this olony has for some time been engaging the attention of the Government, and it is proposed in the event of its adoption, to lavy fees on ships disinfected in order to cover expenditure. The use of such an apparatus it is thought would be willingly availed of by vessels in this port during plague seasons, as quar ntine restrictions would pre- sumably not be insisted on by other ports if a ship could produce a certificate that all the rats, etc., had been destroyed before the ship had left the ports and the holds thoroughly disinfected.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
REGISTRATION OF CHINESE PARTNERSHIPS.; The Chairman drew the attention of the Committee to the strong term in which the thief Justice had recently referred to the nece-sity of registering partners in Chinese firms during the course of the Po Fung Bank case.
It was agreed to further discuss the matter at a later meeting.
INQUESTS.
Re FRITZ EDWARD SHUSTER. DECEASED.
Mr. H. H. J. Gompertz, acting as coroner, on the 15th inst. concluded the inquiry into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Fritz
Edward Shuster, who met with his death on the 3rd inst.
Messrs. H. M. Webb (foreman). James Spencer Daff, and Geo. Banker were jurors. Dr. E. A. R. Laing, medical superintendent of Government Civil Hospital, said :
I ex- amined Mr. Shuster's body between 9.30 and 10 a.m. on a day about the 3rd inst.; and found the man was dead. I then directed the constable to take the body on to the Public Mortuary. I should think life had been extinct any time from 15 minutes. I did not examine the body for wounds or marks but noticed a wound on the right temple. I cannot describe that wound- I just noticed it. I did not see any blood.
By Jury: The deceased W&S taken to hospital under an ordinary police order. I do not remember if anything was said about deceased. The symptoms described by the sergeant of police in his evidence would indicate that the man was dangerously ill. I did not direct that the deceased should be buried. I have nothing to do with demanding inquests.
By Mr. Gompertz: A man who had a fractured skull would be unconscious and breathe heavily. To a man who was not a medical expert the symptoms described would be taken as those of drunkenness if the man smelt of liquor.
I am to state that I shall be pleased to have an opportunity of considering any observations which
your Committee may be good enough to By Jury: I think such a condition continued for make in connection with this proposal. —I have
eight hours, could be taken as a sign of drunken-" the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant.
ness. A knowledge obtained by an ordinary (84) A. M. THOMSON, course of ambulance lectures would not be Colonial Secretary.sufficient to enable a man to distinguish be The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce.
tween an ordinary drunken man and an uncon- scious man in such conditions.
[Copy]
We have Clayton Machine type B fitted on a steam launch which makes 7 knots under her own steam. The launch's steam is also used for running the engine of the disinfector.
The whole machine has proved very satisfac tory and is economical in use.
About 300 lbs. sulphur is sufficient to fill all the holds of a big steamer.
Each hold can be filled in from hour.
to
The percentage of gas can be regulated easily. About 3 to 4 per cent, is strong enough for vermin destruction, but 10 per cent. at least is necessary for bactericidal effect.
All the surfaces of the 'tween decks, etc. which are to be disinfected are at first washed with perchloride or Jeyes and the S. O. fumigat ing started while all is wet.
The holds are battened down for at least 12 hours after the requisite amount of gas has been pumped in, then opened up and washed with disinfectants.
The S. O. is found to damage scarcely any cargo except a few foodstuffs such as tea; bleaching does not occur if articles are dry.
The machine is easy to work and full instruc- tions are supplied with it. The cost is I believe £1,000. The gross weight is 70 cwts. Height, 4ft. 6in. Base dimensions, 10ft by 6ft. Sin.
It was decided to reply that the Committee saw no reason to alter the views expressed in 1902 that the use of the apparatus would inevita- bly involve the detention of steamers, and consequent heavy expense; and in the second place it would be impracticable because in most cases vessels calling here have large quantities of cargo on board for ports beyond this.
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
The draft of a joint letter from the Shanghai, Tientsin, and Hongkong Chambers of Commerce addressed to the Diplomatic Body, Peking, having been received from the Shanghai Cham- ber, it was decided after some discussion to agree to the terms.
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By Mr. Gompertz: A drunken man may be unconscious for seven to eight hours.
By Jury: A drunken man can be unconscious. He can be roused for a moment if not heavily under the influence of drink.
Foreman: The former evidence we have had is rather contradictory.
Mr. Gompertz read Dr. Hunter's evidence. By Mr. Gompertz: I do not disagree with Dr. Hunter. An unconscious drunken man can be roused by cold water and shaking, bat he would lapse back into unconsciousness. He could not answer a question intelliribly.
Foreman: Who gave the burial order?
Mr. Gompertz explained that the officer in charge of post mortems made .. report, and the body was buried in due course unless there seem. ed to be suspicious circumstances, or unless someone asked for an enquiry. An enquiry was not usually held unless it seemed that it was necessary to get to the bottom of some matter, or bring a criminal charge against someone, or to find out if death were due to causes such as would justify a jury bringing in a finding of eriminal negligence. If any person offered to give evidence, or if anyone asked for an inquiry it would hardly be refused.
Foreman: Why refuse ?
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deceased, said he would like an enquiry to see if the deceased should have been put in a cell.
Sergeant Lee was recalled.
By Jury: I was seting ou my own opinion when I took the man to be drunk. The police did not have to go through a course of First Aid; I have not had an opportunity to do so.
Mr. Gompertz said to the jurors that if they had any witnesses they knew of th y could call them. He would see what Inspector Gould had to say.
Inspector Gould said that on the morning of the 3rd inst., at about 8.30 am. he went to the cell along with Sergt. Leo., and saw the deceased lying there showing the described symptoms.
Mr. Gompertz: I said an enquiry would hardly be refused. In three cases I have sent to the relatives to ask if they desired an enquiry to be held; and they asked MO not to hold one.
Foreman Might I ask why the present enquiry is being held
Mr. Gomperts said that on account of state- ments in the local Press suggesting foul play, and suggestions that deceased had had a fall off a tramcar, he ordered an enquiry. If the deceased was in a moribund state, and there had been negligence, or there were matters affecting the Public Works, enquiry should be held. In England a finding of manslaughter had been brought against the trustees of a public highway. A gentleman, a friend of the
Mr. Gompertz: Describe them.
Inspector Gould: His face and forehead were hot, he was breathing heavily, and oboking in the throat. I made out an order to admit him to hospital.
After asking several unimportant questions the jury retired for half-an-hour.
The finding was ---
We are of opini n that death was caused by fracture of the skull, and consequences arising therefrom due to an accidental fall.
neglectful, though not criminally so, in placing We are of opinion that Sergt Lee was
an unconscious man in a cell without trying to bring him to his senses, and not making himself fairly well acquainted at the time, and subsequently, whether decessed had returned to consciousness.
We are of opinion that the police authorities should take steps to see that every offloor placed in charge of police stations be not deficient in a knowledge of First Aid to the Wounded, and that he is capable of distinguishing a case of drunkenness.
We think that the authorities were wrong in sanctioning the burial of the body without inquest, when the post mortem examination showed that death was caused by bodily injury and there might have been a possibility that the deceased's life would have been saved by timely, proper medical treatment.
We recommend that in cases of unconscious- ness every effort should be made to restore con- sciousness, and if unsuccessful medical treatment should be called.
We consider that curbstones over byways below the level of the road should be protected.
Under the circumstances we think that some. recompense should be made to Mrs. Shuster.
We think that police officers left in charge of responsible positions should be experien ed enough to fill them.
[The fact that the jury's verdict was type- written was noted as curious. It had apparently, judging from erasures and emendations sub 8- quently made, been prepared before the formal hearing of evidence.]
Re UNKNOWN EUROPEAN, DECEASED. Mr. H. H J. Gompertz, acting as Coroner, on the 7th inst. held an enquiry into the facts of the death of an unknown European, who was found with his throat out on the New Road, Quarry Bay.
Indian Sergeant No. 619 said: On the 5th inst. I went on duty at 6 a.m. in Shan iwan District. At about 6.30 1 arrived at the new dook. There I saw a European lying on the left-hand or dook side of the road. I went up to the body and observed a peol of blood; the blood was near the neck, I also saw a cat on the inside of the left arm, about half-way between the wrist and the elbow. As the body lay I could not see the wound on the neck. It was lying on the breast, so that the left eye was covered up. The two arms were crossed on the right side.
Mr. Gomperts: Just lie down on that table and show us how the body lay.'
The witness did so.
Continuing, witness said: This knifé (produced) was in his right hand. It was bloodstained from the point about half-way up the blade. A straw hat was about two feet from his head. I saw six footprints near the legs of the body. The ground there was soft; only the front part of the footprints were impressed, and not the heel. They appeared to be made by the same person, wearing boota. There were no other footprints. I searched, but there were ne other marks. There was an Indian Dock watchman between 100 and 150 yards
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