January 26, 1907.}
statements made by Mr. Lau Chu-pak and ses if there is any truth in them or not.
The PRESIDENT—If he will give them to me in writing I will
Mr. HUMPHREYS-It is the duty of the President to inquire into the matter, and several cases of the kind came before the Commission. It is very serious.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I think the Commission have fuller powers than yun, Sir, to inquire into it.
Mr. HOOPER-They have greater power and will do it more fully, but the Governor is anxious that the Commission should soon end. My only reason for not wishing to refer it to that body is that it prolongs its sittings. Members agreed that the matter should b.... referred to the Commission.
QUESTIONS.
Mr. HUMPHREYS, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions:-
(1) Has the Medical Officer of Health ever found that certain Chinese bouses which are perfectly sanitary in every respect come within the scope of Section 175 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance 1903 ?
(2) Has the Medical Officer of Health ever found that Chinese houses that do come within the scope of Section 175 would not be rendered more sanitary by an enforcement of its pro- visions ?
The MEDICAL OFFICER of HEALTH replied:-
EL
(1) The Medical Officer of Health does not regard any domestic building as sanitary in every respect" which is not provided perfectly with an open space, exclusively belonging to such house, in which domestic refuse can be placed pending its removal from the premises, and in which a latrine can be constructed for the use of the inmates of ach building.
(2) The Medical Officer of Health is not prepared to state that any Chinese house would not be rendered more sanitary by the enforce- ment of the provisious of Section 175 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance.
Mr. HUMPHREYS-! consider the answers of the Medical Officer of Health rather evasive, and that being so I have to give notice of two further questions to come up before the next. Board meeting. The first is:-" Has the Medical Officer of Health ever recommended any Chinese houses for total exemption under section 175 of the Ordinance? If so, why does he now state that he has never found the Chinese houses would not be rendered more sanitary by the enforcing of these provisions?" I take it that is the purport of bis answer. Secondly,
Has the Governor-in-Council ever granted Chinese houses total, exemption from the Ordinance under section 175 on the recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health?
COLONIAL CEMETERY BYKLAWS,
A
The report of the select committee on these bye-laws was again laid before members.
The PRESIDENT This report came before the Board at last meeting, but it was circn ated again as it had not been circulated entirely round the members. That is the reason why it is brought up again now.
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Mr. HOOPER I beg to move the adoption of the report, and in doing so, as I was on the committee, I consider it would be well for me to enlarge on the bald facts stated in our recom mendations. The fees which to-day were formulated some years ago when are chargeable different circumstances existed. In olden days the military were allowed certain privileges apart from the cemetery, and one of those particularly was the exemption from all rates in this Colony, which existed up to the time of 1886 or 1888. But by order of the Secretary of State all exemptions ceased, and the military are now- called upon
to pay all the taxes which are chargeable upon the civil community. I think that is
8 very ent when
good preced. come to revise the scale of charges for interments and other things in connection with the cemetery, for carrying out the same principle, and that is making us all equal with regard to the amount we have to give for any privileges or whatever else they may be designated, while in this colony. There is one point I wish to emphasise. I don't know that it is quite bearing on the subject, but we had to mention it in the report; that is, that no portion of the Protestant cemetery is con. secrated. We found that very many Protestants
we
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
attention to it.
way.
49
were
of high standing in this Colony were totally ¦ to them. New houseS, however, ignorant of the fact, but the same thing may be beginning to go up in this quarter and there was remedied, and I take this opportunity of calling a prospect of a road being made. He therefore certain portion of the cemetery is set apart for served so that the owners could either obtain Another thing is that a recommended that the attached notices be
which I very much approve, and if bard and the burial of old residents, a proceeding of modification or provide open spaces in the usual fast lines were adopted I should have nothing more to say, originally of the Director of Public Works,
But I find it was at the discretion | then it was transferred from him to the Medical Officer of Health or Board, the former being the officer in whos
the Stuitary discretion it then was to say who, not being knowɑ offence to be caused by soma of the an old resident, might h· buried there. I bare selctions made a d the refusals.
I find that in
some cases subordinate officers who have died have been buried in the old residents' quarters, while the relatives of those with a better claim have been refused. if the fees are brought up to the same standard as suggested in the report, I see no argument against it, and with these few remarks I beg to more the adoption of the report.
Mr. LAU CHU P.K seconded, and the motion was carried.
AN AMBIGUOUS SECTION,
Mr. HUMPHREYS moved that certain items on the agenda concerning section 175 of th. Public Health and Buildings Ordinance be deferred till next meeting in order that he might receive a
concise auswer from the Medical Officer of Health to the two questions the be submitted to the Board, and a.so that preseut. Attorney-General he asked for his opiniou ая to what section 175 meant. Of course all knew that solicitors
and barristers had to interpret the law, but if all interpreted
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Mr. LAU CHO-PAK mínuted-These houses have ample open space both in front and at the rear, quite in accordance with the spirit of the law. They should be left alone.
appear to be any recommendation on
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-There does not
papers.
these
Consideration of the mitter was deferred.
ANOTHER CONTAMINATED WELL.
of Messrs. Jardins, Matheson and Co.'s house at Samples of water from a well in the gard in
Bacteriologist and Analyst for report. East Point were forwarded to the Government The former reported that the water was non-potable as the sample he examined contained approxi mately 2,000 colonies of micro-organisms multiplying at room temperature, and 1,500 water multiplying at 37deg. C. In addition to bacteria the sample contained liquifying bacilli, floruescent bacilli, and streptococci. Colon bicilli were found present ia 1190 of
C.C. of Analyst reported that some impurity
the sample. The present in the sample examined by him. Prob. ably the well wanted cleaning out. The water should be boiled before use. Another sample might be examined after the rain.
was
Mr. Hoo ER-What is this well water used for, potable purposes or only for gardening?
The PRESIDENT – l'here is nothing to show that.
The PRESIDENT-Dr. Clark states that it is used for potable purposes by the gardiner.
The MEDICAL Officer of Í SALTH -This matter was raised by Dr. Pearse two m ›nths ago, and he pointed out that the surroundings of the well were very unsatisfactory, and that repairs were wauted round it. The Secretary has been in correspondence wit esse. Jardine, Matheson & Co. but nothing has been done; like. that was before we knew whit the water was All that is asked for now is that the
surrounding of the well should be put in analysis was to s'rougth in our hand to get the proper order,
Tae object of getting the
Mr. HOOPER-The report says it is in the it alike there would | garden of a private residenc1. be no such thing as litigation in this world. and although the 'Attorney-General who gave Iu actual practics thng nearly always differed, the opinion about section 175, was & very clever man, still he was only acling, and the speaker thought that the Sanitary Board might about the section. see what the present holder of the offics thought pressed very hardly on all sorts of people in
Of course the section | Hongkong. It had cost millions of money, and if not modified it would the landlords here cost them tens of millions yet, bat it would react on the Government. One of the duties of the Sanitary Board was to see the sanitary laws of the Colony carried out in a proper manner. In this particular section, when it was drafted into the 1901 Ordinanco, the words by the owner practically altered the whole meaning of that
were added to sub sectiun I, which | subsectioù; yet the Attorney-General, when he introduced it into the Legislative Council said that no substantial alteration was made, ing Ordinance and nothing less. Taking such aud the Ordinance was practically a consolidat-
asked that the items he mentioned should be opinion into consideration Mr. Humphreys allowed to stand over.
The PRESIDENT -I am opposed to that, as we are informed by the Law Offer of the
tious, Crown the Sauitary Board ein grant moliti a-
Mr. HUMPHREYS-Then I will withdraw those items referring only to modifications and apply my motion to those for exemption.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH stated that since the last meeting of the Board he had been in consultation with the Crown Solicitor regarding other cases under the same section which had come before him, and would like to consult bim with regard to the present casER.
Tue papers
were referred to the Medical
Oficer.
THE OPEN SPACE QUESTION, The MEDICAL OFFICE OF HEALTH at Kowloon furnished a minute relative to av- forcing Section 175 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance in respect of certain houses in Main Street, Station Street and Praga West, Fak Tsuen Heang. He stated therein that the houses mentioned had no open spa e as required by section 175. They were situated at Fuk Teuen Heung which adjoins Sham Shui Po, being separated from Sham Shui Po only by the imaginary line which divides Old Kowloon from New Kowlpon. They were therefore in the extreme western corner of Old Kowloon, and so far had been regarded as too far out to have the whole Ordinance applied
work done.
Matheson & Co. ba asked to do the work Mr. HOOPER-I move that Messrs. Jardine,
usual legal notice they be written to by the required. I recommend that instead of the Board and informed of the result of the analysis, and I am sure for their own good they will do all they csu.
The PRESIDENT seconded, and the motion was carried.
THE HOLLYWOOD ROAD WELI..
The reports of the Government Analyst and Biet riologist regarding their examinations of samples from this well were Jaid bifəra
members,
The PRESIDENT -The report from the Government Bacteriologist is a pretty bid ons, and it is for members to say what they think on the matter. The report from the Analyst is practically that he thinks this water is good enough t drink, bat I must say that personally I shouldn't care to drink it. If you remember the well is situated in a kitchen, which is not a very uice spot, and it is very liable to con. tamination. The inspector reports that it is not properly emented, and any contamination on the floor of the kitchen may get into the well and contaminate the water.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL- I move that it is made to appear to the Board that the wall is likely to prove injurious to health. Apart from the analysis the fact of the well being in a kitchen of that kind and in close proximity to a privy is bound to be a likely injury to heilth, and it is expedient that it shald be closed and filled up.
the unofficial majority voted against, it was The PRESIDENT seconded the motion, but as lost.
Messrs. Butterfield and Swires' new dook at Quarry Bay, one of the largest in the East, is nearing completion, and is expected to be open in June next.
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No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.