•
220
HONGKONG
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND SANITARY BOARD. | with his refuse is put it in a bucket in the
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was beld on April 2nd at the Board Room. The Hon. Dr. J. M. Atkinson (president) presided, and there were also present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham
F. (Vice-President), Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Hon. Mr. A. W. Previo (Registrar General), Hor. Mr. F. J. Badeley (Captain-Superintendent of Police), Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. Lau Chu-pak, Mr. Fung Wa chun and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (secretary).
RE ¿PECIAL CASES UNDER SECTIOx 173.
Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Mr H. Humphreys and Dr. F. Clark, the committee appointed to consider the question of "special cases' for exemption or modification noder section 175 of Ordinance 1 of 1903, reported as follows: - We have discussed the matter referred to us, and bare come to the conclusion that the conditions of properties are so varied that no useful rules can be laid down as to which should be treated as special cases under section 175 of Ordinance 1 of 1903. We consider that the only safe course is to obtain a report ou each case from the Medical Officer of Health, which would be submitted to the Board in the usual manner. In cases, however, where the Medical Officer of Health reports that total exemption might, ia bis opinion, be granted, if power to grant such total exemption existed, we recommend that no steps be taken towards enforcing the provisions of section 175 until the Government bave decided what action is to be taken on the report of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance Com. mission, which has now been submitted.
The 'RESIDENT moved, and Mr. HOOPER Beconded the motion adopting the report. Carried.
TE
AN ABSURD RECOMMENDATION,"
Further correspondence was laid before members relative to a modification of the require. ments of Section 175 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance in respect of Nos, 351 and 353 Queen's Road West,
The MEDICAL OFFICER
OF HEALTH minuted some time ago regarding these houses-The small back yard required by Beotion 175 is intended for the deposit of household refuse pending its daily removal. I do not see any More for granting exemption in the case of the corner house No. 353, than for any of the other corner houses which have been refused exemption by the Board. In the case 351 1 see no reason at all for granting exemp. tion. It is not a corner house.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK – I
&m
reason
|
kitchen until night when it is pat out for the scavengers to collect it, In this oso it seems to me that we cannot do anything if tus man has a proper bucket in his kitchen and depmita th_refuse at night.
don't
The PRESIDENT-Dr. Clark reports that tha corner bous.
RO is already wall lit,
I tujak
sation ADY
need ha
taken with reference to it. It is not clear whether thi lans is a private one or owned by the owner of the house.
The MxpICAL (FFICER OF HEALTH It is not owned by the owner. The scheme on whi my recommendation is based the Board approvad while I was away.
In this case a modification. bat unt total exemption, ought to be granted
Mr LAU CHU-PAK-In that cam don't you think it would be advisable for the owner to widen the windows at the reir?
Mr. Hoo ER — AS there is դո immediate harry for enforcing them, I should like to see Lhese applications stand over for six months.
The PRESIDENT-They cannot stand over indefinitely. A good many of the bouws w are considering to-day belong to the Humphreys Estate Co.
suitable the
'T'ue VICE PRESIDENT The proposal
a the plan seems indicated aod easonable cue, and I
more that modifications for a bick yard be granted subject to the boas- being altered in accordance with the arrangement shown on the plan also that the corner house may be allowed to remain as it is.
Mr. Lau CHC PIK-Supposing the owner wishes to make otter arrangements, you cannot compel him to adopt this plan!
The VICE-PRESIDENT It is quite open for the owner to make any proposal he or she wishes.
The PRESIDENT seconded the motior.
Mr. HOOPEx moved an amendment that the application be allowed to stand over for six months.
Mr FCNG WA-CHUN Secorded,
The amendment on being put to the meeting was lost, and before the motion was put Mr. HOPER asked that the applications should be divided.
The VICE-PRESIDENT then moved that the Governor-in-Council be recommended to exempt. house No. 353 from providing a back yard, and
that in connection with house No. 3il the the modification applied for under section 175 be of No. | granted These mistions were carried.
The VICE-PRESIDENT -I think, considering the fact that this is principally used as an eating house, there ought to b "some place to put refuse, and mors that the application be refused
RECOMMENDSU FOR EXEMPTION. Further corespondence Wis submit.ed no longer thelative to a modification of the requirement of owner of these houses. How absurd IK the section 175 in respect of No«. 112 Wing Lok recommendation to erect R platform Street and 3 0 Des Voeux Road (entral. for the temporary deposit of house refused It will be 8 fine sight to 840 every Chinese house with a platform sticking out on upper floors full of houss refuse. The corner house is well lit, and so is the next house which bas big skylights and wide windows at the back. These houses should be totally ex-mpted, being perfectly sanitary and having a private lane in the rear, which is counted a« open space.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-Take no action ia 0888 of corner house. as the back yard belongs to the ground for occupants only. It was never meant to be used for the deposit of refuge from the other floors; and this section does not sanation our requir❘ ing the owner to provide spaces open to the air for the deposit of refuse from top floors.
Hou, Mr. HEWETT -- What is done with regard to hous refuse from rooms on upper floors in a building of that sort ?
The PRESIDENT—I suppose it is all taken down to the yard basement.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL -It is generally put in the gutter at the front door after nine o'clock at night.
Mr. Fund WA-CHUN—As far as I know the rubbish is kept on the floor until night time! and then dumped into the street.
Hou. Mr. Hewett—That is a system? Mr FUNG WA-CHUN-Yen,
|
Mr HOOPER -Would you go so far as to say that if it ceased to be an eating hons- to morrow you would require the same?
The VICE-PRESIDENT-I'bat is what is in fluencing me in the present case.
If it was occupied as a domestic building we would be almost obliged to follow other rules laid doxu.
Mr. HOOPKR-You are structurally altering the place now, and if it ceased to be an eating house it would have to be re-altered, which is rather a hardship on the owner who gets no compensation
.
|
|
Hoo, Mr. HEWETT That is quite conceir- able. The occupation now carried on renders the premises insinitary, whereas if the building was used as a private li use such would not be the cise. I second the Vice-President's motion. The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I cannot sup. port the motion as the house is adequs'ely lighted and ventilated.
1
|
|
[April 6, 1907.
demanding that when drainage plane were
submitted, sections should be shown therein as required by No. 2 of the Drainage Byelaws, They po ated out that this was quite unnec66- mary in nearly all cases, sad only involved a lot of amines trouble so far as they ween noncerned, When and put their clients in extra expense. the breisws originally eims into force the usslessures of supplying sections was pointed oat, and up to date the formality had been wairm. They conclu fed by asking the Board to give instructions that this course should be coɑtinu-d.
Mr. J. J. Bryno, Sanitary Surreyor, in reply to this letter wro a stating that if the srokitenta would take the responsibility of their plans being enrrect, he did not think it absolutely Becerry in all eus to require a reation although it wan advisabls. The bye-law had for some years ben, waived in many asses, but he had lately written asking for them metions, bersane in two instan es the Board's surreyst had beeg blamed for
which would not
hive cecarred bad •
" section the groan 1
bon gireo. It
10 avoid a repetition of these mistakes that he had asked for sections to be giren as required by⋅ rainage Byelaw No. 2.
errors
Mr. HOOPE minuted · No hard and fast rule should be laid down. There may be sɔme cases where a section is necessary, but where a straight drain is showɑ between two points and the fall can be accurately described by writing it on the plaos, no section should be required.
Mr. HUMPHREYS-I agres with
Mr. HOOPER.
!
The motion on being pat to the m-fing was lot.
The REGISTRAR-LEVSKAL then moved that the application be recommended to the Governor. ! in-l'ouncil for exemption.
Mr. HOOPER seconded and the motion was
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-If | carried. there is a back yard, stuff is thrown into it from -the upper Loore.
Mr. HOOPER-This place se ms to me to be analogous to a building say, like Alexandra Buildings. Supposing a tenant on the top floor there has nofback yard, all he has got to do
DRAINAGE BYELAWS,
Mr. LAU CHC PAK-1 he formality should be wired as requested.
1 he
this PRESIDENT-I think
matter should be left at the discretion of the Surveyor. Mr. Hoopɛɛ—I don't agree to that and bope to get the support of the Director of Pablio Works. To call upon an owner to provide a plan and inour unnecessary expense when the form of drain could be accurately described, is not right. In some case, such request may be If it was the Director of Pablio a whim. Works or a qualified engineer who had this power I should raise no objection, but I am not prepared to leave the matter in the hands of the Sanitary Surveyor.
The VICE-PRESIDENT -According to the strict interpretation of the Ordinance sections ought to accompany plans, but it has been the practice hitherto to dispense with sections, and only in exceptional instances were they required to be provided.
The PRESIDEST-The architects might be informed that it is not necessary to provide sections in every cise.
Mr Hooege - I agree to that if it is dis. tinctly understood that they din appeal to the Board when called upon to supply them.
Members agreed.
*O GETHING SERIOUS,
Correspondenc» was submitted relative to a Gough Street latrine.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT stated that in this case a charge had been brought against Sanitary Department officials, and also against interpreter at the Magistracy. This was not the first affair of the kind brought to the notion of members of the Board. He thought they should send it to the Government and ask them to investigate it. It was merely repetition of a similar caw before the Commission.
The PRESIDENT -I should think • 0003- mittee of the Board would inquire into it.
Mr. HOOPER -This ic • direct chargu against an int¬rpenter at the Magistracy,
Hon Mr. HEWETT -It is too important matter for a committee of the Board. I move
that the pipers be sent lo the Colonial Secretary to be looked into by the Government.
Mr. LẠC CHU-PAK seconded. Agreed.
rate
MORTALITY STATISTICS,
For the wook ended March 16th, at a death per 100 per annum, the percentage for the whole Colony is 21.6, as against 18.7 for the corresponding week of last year.
Mosers. Danby, Leigh and Orange, Palmer The Japan Prean states that the directors and and Tarner, and Denison, Ram and Gibbs loading shareholders of the Yokohama Specie
to the Board wrote
calling members: Bank are contemplating increasing the capital attention to the fact
Board's | to a bandred million yen. It is proposed to add surveyor
had quite recently taken to seventy-five million yen to the present capital.
that the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.