May 18, 1907]
In 1904 the total number of Chinese deaths registered in Kowloon was 1,164. Of this number 407 or 35 per cent were deaths of persons whose bodies had been picked up in the streets, eto.
The REGISTrab-General submitted the following returns relative to the burials without formal inquiry and the births of Chinese:- Magistrate's return of burials without formal inquiry, 1887 to 1906: identity of bodies
unknown.
Year, Total.
No. of Percent- deaths of age of
No. of cases of
1887 195
5,071
Chinese column registered, 2 & 3.
4
plague.
1988
271
5,785
1889
+16
4,407
1890
136
4,865
1891 211 5,183
$892 222
4,722
1893
235
5,230
1894
279
7,156
1895 283
5,209
2,552*
44
18.6 400
5,607
1,204
1897 489 4,484
11
21
1898 907 5,383
17
1,320
1899
901 5,941
15
1,486
19::0 1,023
6,471
15
1,087
1901 1,088
6.670
16
1,651
1902 1,1 4
6,431
171
572
1903 1,507
5,875
25
1,415
1904 1,150
5 882
194
19.5 1,139
6,290
18
221
510 304
1906 1,820 8,087
* deaths Ratio of the number of burials without formal, inquiry to Chinese population.
Number of Year. Chinese burial with. Percentage
population. ont formal 3 to col. 2 inquiry.
1891 1897
1901
-
210,995
233,280
291,786* 307,388*
of col.
211
489
1088
10% 21% 37% 59%
1820.
1906 *Inclusive of New Kowloon and exclusive of the rest of the New Territory.
Number of births of Chinese registered in the year 1887 to 1906.
Year. No. of births. Year. No. of births. 1887 1511 1897 1125
1888
1469
1898
963
1889
1502
1899
852
1890
1450
1900-
678
1891
1529
1901
848
1892
1660
1902
966
3
1893-
1575
1903
1894
1250
1904
799*
1895 1195
19 5
760*
1906
801
691*
1896 978 *Exclusive of births registered in New Kowloon!
Ratio of births to population. British
Chinese
$
} No of birth
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REFORT.
bodies and number of cases of plague and Comparison between number of abandoned
small pox in the first quarter of 1906 and 1907,
323
A signifies number of abandoned bodies; ; and without this assistance and 60-operation we B cases of plague; C small-por.
are simply marking time. We may detect one of the second. If we case, but that does not lead to detection secure the co-opera- tion of the community in notifying cases, the notification of one case naturally leads to the notification of more, and at last we are in sight, of some progress,
1906
A. 171 92
VICTORIA.
B. C.
Total.
87
179
1907
222
3
38
141
KOWLOON.
69
4
35
1906
31 1907
87 5 37 42 Comparison between number of deaths and number of abandoned bodies in 1905 and 1906:
Year deaths. Abandoned bodies. Percentage.
1905, 6591 1063
17 1906
13
8087 1447
1905-1 in 6; 1906–2 in 11.
Mr. FUNG WA.CHUN-I have much pleasure in seconding the resolution made by the Registrar-General, and in doing so hope the Board will not gather the impression that Chinese members of the Board wish that the principles of the sinitary administration of the Colony should be made to suit the uneducated Chinese. We do our utmost to get our masses to comply with the sanitary regulations, but at the same time, I think, the Board should not
Plague and small-pox in 1906, number of inflict any hardship on them. It has been deaths in the first quarter of the year:
PLAGUE.
January
2
February
24
March
Total
60 86
AMALLPOX.
5
24
93
52
Of the 86 deaths from plague 52 (or 60 per cent.) occurred in two out of ten districts.
THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL-Mr. Chairman, I bag to move the following motions standing in my name :-
1. That in the opinion of this Board the large increase in recent years in the number of dead bodies placed in the streets is due to the sanitary measures adopted since 1894 against plagun and small.pox.
2. That a reduction in the number of dead bodies placed in the streets can be effected only by obtaining the assistance of the Chinese.
pop'ln'. registered 100 of pop'in'. of the Chinese.
per
Year.
1891 210,993 1529 233,280 1125 274,543* 848 1906 289,552* 801
1897
1901
7.2
4.8
31
2,8
Exclusive of the New Territories. MF. LAU CHU PAK minuted. These figures bear out the statement that damping is due to the institution of measures for combatting plague. I doubt that the four and a half per cent. previous to 1904 were not in the majority of cases the bodies of newly born infants.
The following tables regarding the dumping of dead bodies by the Chinese were considered. Bodies found on
Year. 893
1897
Lan i
195 851
Harbour.
40 138
Increase 80 per cent. 245 per cent. The number of bodies other than Chinese in negligible. In 1893 the total was 11; in 1897,
Abandoned bodies in the streets, etc., and number of cases of plague, small-pox in Victoria and Kowloon, in 1905 and 19 7:
Total.
205
Year.
VICTORIA,
B.
1905
614 180 25
1906
796 624 132
756
KOWLOON.
1905
259 98 10
108
1906
451 199 37
236
3. That to obtain the effective co-operation of the Chinese a revision of the bye-laws relating to infectious disease is necessary, and that such a revision is called for on other grounds as well. With regard to Mr. Hooper's minute, I may say I have asked the Secretary to ask you to have a return drawn up giving these facts regarding the bodies which were found in the streets. None of the returns I have compiled show exactly what Mr. Hooper wishes. The resolutions I propose, and which, I hope, the Board will adopt, are in answer to the Colonial Secretary's letter. I have little to add to what I said at the last meeting, and, I think, the figures in your possession are in favour of the theory bring forward in part one. They cert inly give no support to the theory that poverty is the cause of bodies being dumped, unless you are prepared to argue that poverty has increased greatly in Hongkong of recent years. As regards part two I can only reiterate what I said before, that we abandoned the extraordinary police measures and there is no chance of trying We cannot acquiesce in the them again. present abominable. state of affairs.. We must move, and the only line of move- ment possible is to obtain the cooperation I am satisfied that the cooperation of the leading Chinese can be obtained in enforcing any reasonable sanitary measures, but that does not take us very far, because we must first satisfy the mass of the Chinese, and the leading Chinese must first obtain their assistance. They cannot do so, however, unless we convince them that our sanitary measures pay due regard to their religions, customs and prejudices. We must recollect that the mass is by no means enlightened. We have to persuade our friends to assist us, and they will have to persuade their fellow countrymen and put pressure on them which we cannot. That is the object of the third part of my resolution.
We must have a re- vision of our bye-laws not only because we want the co-operation of the Chinese, but because the bye laws at present are ineffective and not suited to local circumstances, nor to the social life of the Chinese. When I ask the Board, as I now do, to pay regard to econo- mical considerations, to substitute a lower standard which we may reasonably expect to maintain, in place of a high one which we know in practice will never or seldom be acted up to, I only repeat what the late Dr. Russell of Glasgow said about disinfection. Surely I have ample seientific authority for ask ing our expert advisers to reconsider their attitude. It is the only means for obtaining the assistance and co-operation of the Chinese,
first
proved that most of the bodies found in the streets were not plague cases, which tends to show that the stringent measures taken by the sauitary authorities scare the Chinese. If the resolutions of the Registrar-General. were put into effect, and the bye-laws revised so that the sanitary regulations would be less severe, I am sure the Board would receive the hearty 00- operation of the Chinese.
Mr. LAU CHU-PA heartily support these resolutions, which, in my opinion, embody nothing but facts and common sense. The report of the Commission, when published, will no doubt shed further light on these stalements. As regards Chinese co-operation, I may avail mself of this opportunity to say a few words about the public dispensaries, or the Tuog Wa branch hospitals as they were called. These dispensaries were startal about three years ago by the Hon. Mr. Brewin and the Chinese members of this Board, with no other object in view than to assist the Government in stopping the dump- ing of dead bodies; to bring within easy reach of the labouring class of the Chinese the benefits of European science; to help them to dispose of dead bodies and to care for their sick in a proper and legal manner; and last of all, to enlighten them as to the requirements of the sanitary laws. These dispensaries are entirely, supported by subscriptions raised amongst Chinese residents. The Government has not contributed one cent. What assistance the Government has given is that the committee paid $7 per square foot for a small site to erect a dispensary at Kau U Fong, and when a small. piece of ground was applied for, for depositing the dad box and ambulance the Government re- luctantly granted & temporary lease of five or six feet below the level of the street, which was most unsuitable for the purpose. After a great deal of trouble the Registrar-General and the Chinese members succeeded in opening six of these dispensaries. This number is far too small to meet the Wants of a big popu. lation, and to restore the confidence of the
Chinese in a short time, which the doings of the Board during the least thirteen years have taken away. It is admitted that to lose con- fidence is very easy, but it is very difficult to regain it. Now, according to the tone of the Colonial
ecretary's letter to the Board, it is apparent that the efforts and labour of the Registrar- General and the Chinese members, instead of earning the appreciation of the Government and obtaining a helping hand from them, have. called forth adverse criticism which almost amounts to ridicule. Sir, I think I may be pardoned for saying that such an attitude on the part of the Government discourages those who spend time, money and brains, not for their own amusement or personal profit, but for the general welfare of the Colony. At the same time it must be borne in mind that the work undertaken by the Registrar-General and the Chinese members is far from being pleasant or easy. On one hand we have to see the require- ments of the law complied with; on the other we have to meet the wishes of the Chinese, BO that practically our work lies, to use a familiar expression, between the devil and the deep sea. Although during the last few years the Chinese have had these dispensaries to help them, the fact remains that many restrictions are imposed by the sanitary laws in force. I can say that if these dispensaries were not in existence: there would have been more dumping than there has bean. That they have done good work, and are still doing it, there can be no doubt. Every
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