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Mr. HOOPER said the attention of the Govern- ment should be called to the bad condition of the pavements and side channels in the centre of the city.
The CHAIRMAN pointed out that many of those were private streets.
Mr. HOOPER declared that the private streets were the best kept in the colony laughter).
Mr. HEWETT hold a different opinion with regard to the private streets.
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It was agreed that the attention of the Government be called to the streets indicated.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
For the week ending April 17th the death rate of the British, foreign and Chinese com- munity, excluding the Army and Navy, at a rate of 1,000 per annum, was 16.7 as against 15.8 for the corresponding week of last year.
RAT RETURN.
For the week ending March 24th 621 rats were caught, of which 35 were infected, while 47 were infected out of 728 caught during the following week.
PLAGUE STATISTICS.
Mr. HUMPHREYS in a minute said-These mortality statistics undoubtedly afford sufficient information so far as smallpox, typhoid and minor diseases are concerned, because the nature, source and treatment of such are to a great extent well-known, but it seems to me something more is required to render plague statistios of auy real value. The medical faculty and the Sanitary Board know very little about this scourge. Heroic measures have been adopted which have involved the community in a huge annual expenditure. We have harassed the European and the native, the rich and the poor, the clean and the unclean, with the result that in three years we know we have spent immense sums in sanitation; that we bave increased the cost of nearly everything to such an extent that living is almost out of the question for the poorly paid European. It is computed that 59,000 of the poorer but respectable Chinese have left the Colony, and as a large percentage of these are women there is every indication to support the popular belief that increased rents, coupled with depriva- tion of privacy (the inevitable outcome of a rigid enforcement of the Public Health Ordinance No. 1 of 1903) have been the principal if not the only factor in this exodus. Over and above all this we have struck a blow at property (which after all is the founda- tion of all real prosperity) from which it will take some time to recover. Yet our plague statistics do not afford us any clue as to whether all this expenditure and sacrifice on the part of the community have been in vain. Not until the death rate per 1,000 is less, perceptibly less, than that of Canton shall we be able to say "It is well." I realise that a comparative statement showing the figures of Hongkong and Canton side by side would be difficult to get, and that when obtained might only be approximately correct, but even this would be worth much money to procure-worth all the money and more than is now wasted on smearing walls with innocuous limewash. Our present figures are mere records of passing interest, not as they should and might be, records fraught with possibilities of almost incalculable benefit to the Colony and humanity.
at
Mr. LAU CHU:PAK's minule read:-The result of the many drastic measures resorted to as experiments of theories for the improve- ment of the health and consequently the reduction of the mortality of the Colony as referred to in Mr. Humphreys' minute would be interesting for the public to know, especially this juncture when both property holders aud householders are groaning under the hardship and suffering inflicted by a severer act of recent creation. Personally I still doubt if the good accruing therefrom com- mensurates with the enormous amount of money expended by the Government every year and dis- comfort forced upon the inhabitants. That50,0.0 of the Chinese have left the Colony is what was anticipated. More, I am afraid, will follow suit when Ordinance No. 1 of 1903 is enforced in its entirety. It is not that they like to send their wives and children away, but they are practically compelled to do so by that enactment. As I said before, I would now repeat: Very few Chinese can afford to hire a whole floor for
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THE HONGKON › WEEKLY PRESS AND themselves, the reat of which ranges from $10 to $75. Nor can three or four families now share a big floor together as they used to, for not more than one cubicle is allowed on each floor, In short, even the members of the same family cannot enjoy the little privacy they had before, The percentage of the wage-earningChinese who make $10) a month is very low. Formerly a man of this class could support a family of ten com- fortably without pinching, and was considered to be very well off. He cannot do so now as the rent alone absorbs a quarter or inore of his income. Thosa who ara earning from $20 to $30 per month ars in a very sad plight. They simply find it impossible to keep their wives and children with them without dodging the law. In the case of the property owners they are almost every day receiving a notice to do this or alter thaf, thus putting them to endless trouble and loss. I quite sympathise with them and do not at all feel surprised that many refrain from investing their money in property. With regard to the procuration of statistics from Canton, I am of opinion some arrangement can be made with the Chinese Government for furnishing the Hongkong Government with fairly correct information.
It is true that the Chinese officials keep no record of deaths, nor is the nature of the diseases reported to them, but there are so many hospitals which do, and also the Kaifong comm ttees who always know more or less of any death occurring in their particular ward. The coffin shops, too, can always tell between themselves the number of deaths taking place every day. I am sure, with the help of these people the Chinese Government will be able to supply the information as des red. If, however, the expert advisers of the Sanitary Board do not care to have such information from Canton, why not approach the Macio Government? Since the outbreak of plague, sanitary measures, though in a much more lenient form, have been enforced in that colony, and there are qualified officers in charge of the work.
Mr. FUNG WA-CHUN-No doubt it is desir able to know what result has been attained after
so many experiments. I think comparative details should be obtained from neighbouring ports as far as practical. I know as a fact a lot of hardship is being caused by drastic
measures.
Mr. HUMPHREYS said the Board were some- what in the position of a merchant carrying on a large business without proper books of account. They knew they were spending large sums of public money and causing a great deal of inconvenience to almost everybody to the Colony, but they did not know whether they were doing any good with regard in plagas. They had had three years' experience of the Health Ordinance of 1903, and the time had now arrived when the period of experiment should cease and some endeavour made to find whether they were doing any good or not. The other day the Hon. Mr. Gershom Stewart, in criticising the Sanitary Board estimates. wanted to know whether they going to continue on a war footing in time of peace. While realising the difficulty of getting the desired information, the speaker did not think any attempt had been made to obtain it. Report had it that when there was plague in Canton, Swatow and other places,
we
were
had plague in Hongkong. and when there was no plague in those plices we had none in Hongkong. It would be satis factory to know whether report was true or not, and he would more that the Government be asked to take steps to ascertain the rate of mortality per 1,000 of the population in Canton and Macao with a view to this Board issuing comparative returns.
The PRESIDENT thought it would be batter not to limit it to plague, but to ask for the general death rate.
Mr. HUMPHREYS accepted this alteration. Mr. LAU CHU-PAK seconded. He said the public were entitled to know the results of their
sacrifices,
The PRESIDENT referred to the difficulties in the way of getting reliable returns. It was not only a question of getting to know the number of deaths, but the extent of the population,
The resolution was carried after further discussion.
[April 7, 1906.
LINE-WASHING.
Mr. HUMPHREYS, before moving his resolu- tion. asked the President if the mediol men considered lime-washing as a preventative of plague.
The PRESIDENT-Yes, I shoull say most emphatically it does. It tends to cleanliness and anything which induces greater cleanliness is to a greater or less extent a preventative.
Mr. HUMPHREYS-You don't regard it as being a disinfectant ?
The PRESIDEST-No.
Mr. HUMPHREYS then stated his opinion that lime washing once a year was all that was necessary for purposes of cleanliness, and be moved that "the Board recommend the Govern ment to alter the bye-laws relating to lime- washing, so as to make lime-washing compulsory once in twelve months in lieu of six months."
Mr. FUNG WA-CHUN seconded. The PRESIDENT said he was opposed to the resolution, because experience had shown that the houses became very dirty at the end of six months.
Mr. HUMPHREYS remarked that that was largely no to the unsatisfactory w y in which the lime-washing was done. In
many
would be better if the Government did the cases it was an absolute farce. He thought it
work and charged the landlords.
Dr. PEARSE doubted if they would improve matters by lime-washing once in twelve months instead of once in six. He did not consider twice a year too much.
Mr. HOOPER said that what they wanted was cleanliness. They should not insist on every Chinese house being lime-washed, but allow a differentiation where the tenants kept their houses clear. He called attention to the filthy condition of the roof of the Central Market. That," he said, "is our house. What will the Chinese think of us? It is dirtier than any coolie house.**
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Mr. HUMPHREYS said that lime-washing well done once a year would be better than ten times done badly. He thought laudlords would be willing that the Government should do the work and charge them.
Mr. HEWETT agreed with the President. Lime-wasbing ensured cleanliness.
The PRESIDENT having pointed out that the Board would amend their own bye-laws, the motion was altered accordingly.
On being put to the rote, three supported it and three were against it. The President gare his casting vote against the resolution.
THE NEW P. AND O. STEAMER.
The Devanha, the last of the four new vessels the P. and O. Company, arrived here on built specially for the Far Eastern service by
April 5th with the English mail. This, her maiden voyage, has been eminently successful. With her accommodation almost taxed to its uttermost, the vessel behaved splendidly, and the passengers sing her praises with unanimity. From the description which we gave this week it will be understood that the Devanha 85 the other new
is of the same type Vessels, being distinguished for her wide sweep of decks, up-to-date conveniences and every comfort which can be expected on board. She has perhaps a few improvements not found on the others. She steams very steadily and those on beard say they were hardly conscious of her moving. From Colombo onwards great heat was experienced, greater than usual, up till Wednesday, when the weather became decidedly cooler. There were a out 180 passengers on board.
and O. steamers in port at present--two at the
It is rather remarkable that there are four P.
wharves and the two mails in the stream, while the Ceylon should be bere to-day.
The s.8. Mongolia lost a day between Houg. kong and Shanghai owing to the dense fogs which prevailed. On the second day out from Hongkong the vessel ran down a Chinese fishing smack in the obscurity of the fog, and it was feared that some of the erew of the junk perished, although it was not known to a certainty. Two of the shipwrecked Chinamen were picked up by the Mongolia's lifeboat and each given a sack of rice and were placed aboar! another fishingboat that happened to pass.
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