118
On the vote being taken the Hon. Mr. Hewett ad Messrs. Humphreys and Lau Chu Pak refrained from voting, this action being recorded.
[August 24, 1907.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK—I think it - would be better for the Secretary to ascertain from the petitioner what the Inspector told him to pat on if it was not a meter as pointed out by the Water Authority. In my opinion tanks for trade purposes should be allowed to remain. In this case the removal means the ruin of the
IBU.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
of 1903 to submit the estimates to the | understanding that I do not in any way depart Board. They are submitted to-day in accord from the recommendations for the re-organi- ance with the concession granted by the Officersation of the staff to which I was a party. The Administering the Government in consequence Government are placed in the position that of the report of the Sanitary. Commission, but I they must have some estimates to go to the submit the estimates put before us are not worth Secretary of State for each department. I the paper they are written on. We considered should like this to go to the Secretary of State that the control of the Sanitary department was with the views I have expressed. again to be put in the hands of the Board, and that being so the Board would have known all the details of the estimates. We have some six or
seven pages of figures before us, and we
are asked to vote nearly half a million dollars, about fifteen per cent, of the total revenue of the Colony. Speaking both from the point of view of a Government and member of a public company it is only reasonable to suppose that when estimates for the year involving a large amount of detail have to be placed before a Board some sort of statement should be given. We have no budget statement at all.
8.8 6
The PRESIDENT-You have footnotes at the bottom,
The Hon. Mr. HEWETT—The footnotes at the bottom are worth practically nothing. Speak- ing as a business man of thirty years' standing I absolutely refuse to pass them. I don't admit any responsibility for them whatever. The Board as a Board, particularly the unofficial members, know nothing about the changes tak. ing place in the staff which should be in the hands of the Sanitary Board. We know noth. ing as to what all these items mean, We have rows of figures put before us and are asked to vote upon them. Even supposing the officials responsible for these estimates have not prepared a statement, it is customary for the President to make a budget statement. We have not received such a statement and I repeat, what I have already stated, that the figures, from a business point of view, are worth nothing. The position the unofficial members of the Board take up is this: We consider that as representatives of the public we have an equal footing with the officials and should be kept informed of the working of the department. That information has been denied us.
We know nothing except the meagre trivial details laid before us once a fortnight. That being so I beg to make my ear. nest protest against the manner in which the Go vernment proposes to deal with the report of the late Sanitary Commission. But I will say this for them: They are perfectly frank. H.E. the Officer Administering the Government opens up the discussion on the proposed new scheme by saying it is not proposed to adopt the recommendations for the following reasons. I submit most of these reasons are extremely weak. As a member of the Commission and of the Board, and as we are now called upon for the first time to pass the estimates, I wish to record my most earnest protest against our being called upon to vote upon estimates of this sort in such a manner. We consider that if our time is worth anything at all, if our presence at this Board is justified in the least degree, we should have a proper say in the fill management of the department. These were the conditions оп which We joined. It was only when we were informed by your locum tenens when appearing before the ommission that we learned for the first time, what we now believe to be the case, that the passing of Ordinance 23 of 1903 took away that power, This presentation of the draft estimate is a sop which I absolutely refuse to accept. I say we want to consider the estimates but I want to be in a position to consider them intelligently and from a business point of view. I for one shall refuse to vote on the estimates at all.
con.
Mr. HOOPER-I take a different view to my unofficial colleague as to the duty we are called upon to do to-day. The Government have sent us the estimates and, I think, we should express our opinion upon them. In doing so and in voting for the estimates as they are prepared I do 80 on the distinot understanding that the Government are seriously sidering how best to give effect to the views of the Commission. I am quite willing to admit that the report of the Commission has not been in their hands sufficiently long to obtain the official sanction of the Secretary of State to legislate with a view to giving effect to the recommendations of the Com- mission. Therefore I vote to-day on the distinct
The estimates were then passed.
KOWLOON SLAUGHTER HOUSE.
A further application was received from the Beef and Pork butchers using the Kowloon Slaughter House, asking the Government to find a site for the new slaughter house nearer Yaumati, as Ma Tau Kok was too far away.
The Vice-President minuted that the distance from the proposed slaughter house to Yaumati and could be considerably shortened by the was slighlty over 2 miles by the existing roads
construction of other roads in the future.
To be considered,
CUB.CLE ACCOMMODATION,
The question raised by the Secretary as to whether the information that modifications were granted should be sent to the tenant or the owner having been referred to a committee, that committee now recommended that the owners should be informed of the proposed modification. Correspondence relative to cabicle accommo. dation in Kowloon was submitted; a bulky report was presented by Dr. Macfarlane in which 744 houses containing 236 i floors were dealt with. He pointed out that the accommodation of the floors varied from seven to sixteen persons, but fortunately only eleven houses held sixteen persons per floor. The rest held from seven to twelve, and the usual number was ten or eleven. To house this number of persons it appeared useless from a practical point of view to allow less than three subdivisions per floor, and this number had been recommended, where possible, The total number of floors was 2366; the number 1865; the number of floors for which one cubicle for which no exemption was recommended was
to each floor was recommended was 501; and there were no floors for which more than one cubicle per floor was recommended.
Correspondence relative to cubicle accom. modation in the City of Victoria was submitted in which the survey record of the work done by Mr. Carter was shown.
Referred to a committee.
THE TANK QUESTION,
The tenant of 13 Wing On Street applied for permission to retain a water tank in the back yard which the Sanitary Board had ordered to be removed.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH minuled -I think a legal notice should be served for the removal of this tank. I found the water dirty, the yard is a very small one and the applicant tells me only three meu live on the ground floor, so it is absurd to suppose a tauk is necessary,
Mr. HOOPRE-What is the size of the yard? Hon. Mr. HawaTT-Why should this tank exist? Is it required for the purposes of a special business?
Application refused.
Chun Yan, the occupier of 31 Gage Street, also applied for permission to retain a tank in the yard of his house. In his letter of application he stated that on 12th instant he was prosecuted and fined $7 for having a tank in his yard but it had been in existence for the last five years and about two years ago, acting on the advice of the then Sanitary Inspector, a meter was fixed to it to mark the consumption of water. His shop being used as a restaurant, a tank for the storage of water was indispensable, especially during the win- ter months when the supply from the mains was intermittent. The tank was about 3 feet 6 by 5 feet 4 and did not obstruct light or ventilation in any way. As the removal of the tank meant the ruin of his business he
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trusted the Board would grant him permission
to retain it,
•
Mr. HOOPER-I recommend that the appli- cant be asked to attend before the Board and substantiate his statement that a water mater was fixed on the advice of the San ta y Surveyor.
Application refused.
OVERCROWDING.
The Officer in charge of this work reported that during the month of July there were 24 prosecutions in respect of overcrowding and the magistrates ordered 171 persons to vacate certain premises.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
For the week ending 20th July the death rate of the whole Colony at a rate of 1000 per annum was 24 per cent. against 21 per cent. for the corresponding week of last year.
SUPREME COURT. Monday, 19th August.
IN CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
(SIR FRANCIS Piggott).
WELCOME TO THE NEW ATTORNEY
GENEBAL
Attorney-General (the Hon. Mr. W. Rees Davis)
The Court extended a welcome to the new
who made his first official appearance.
by the Puisne Judge, said:-Mr. Attorney, The Chief Justice who was socompanied Owing to circumstancer, over which the Court which we have had of welcoming you to the has had no control, this is the first opportunity
Colony officially. The delay, I think, will have had this advantage that I of welcome
that you will believe the words are not formal bat are per- sonal and most cordial. We desire дог
sure
to formally wish you a very useful visit and a prosperous career amongst us here.
The Attorney-General- I desire to express my cordial thanks to your Lordships for the kindly welcome which you have given me to the Bar this morning. I was called to the Bar in the Inner Temple in 1887, and si ce then my lines have fallen in pleasant places. This is the third office I have held under the Crown in the space of nine years. First, in the salubrious atmosphere of the Bahama Islands; second in the enchanted Isle of Cyprus where three languages controlled the work of the Courts; and now I have the honour to be appointed to this high office in this Colony of Hongkong which exceeds in its natural beauty of surroundings one's highest expectations. I recognise I am succeeding roll of dis- tinguished predecessors and it will be my greatest effort to follow their example and obtain the best wishes at the Bar. I also recognise the great necessity for cordial co- operation between the Bench and the Bar, and you may rest assured that I shall do my utmost, with the cordial assistance of the learned members of the Bar, to maintain that co-opera- tion.
NEW SOLICITOR ENROLLED.
Sir Henry Berkeley moved for the enrolment of Mr Crowler Smith as solicitor in this Court.
to the Bar this year by the High Court of The papers were in order. Mr. Smith was called England.
The Chief Justice I have read the papers and they are in order. Mr. Smith, the Court welcomes you and hopes you will have a busy time here.
THE DES VŒUX ROAD MURDER.
Tam Pin, alias Tam Tak Lam was charged. with the murder of Lo Pak Cheung in Victoria on July 21st, and Lu 8u Kai allas Fei Taal Kai - and Wan Hoi Chi were charged with aiding and abetting in the commission of the mid offence. Bit Fu and Hai Fin, who had also been charged with aiding and abetting, were not indicted. The Attorney General (instructed by Mr. Morrell), conducted the case for the for the defence of the three prisonerr. prosecution, and the Hon. r. Ho Kai appeared
W. 8. Brown, J. Von Riegen, 8. G. Fanton. The following jury was empanelled: Mosers, H. W. Page, L. E. Lammert, W. F. Gardiner and W. C. Drew.
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