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($1,600) in aid of the vote, Public Works, Recurrent, Maintenance of Lighthouses.
REFUND OF REVENUE, The Governor recommended the Council to Foto & sum of thirteen thousand dollars ($13,000) in aid of the vote, Miscellaneous Services, Refunds of Revenue.
HARBOUR Master's dePARTMENT. The Governor recommended the Council to
vote a sum of nine hundred and ninety-two dollars (8992) in aid of the vote, Harbour Master's Department, G-Lighthouses, Gap Book Lighthouse, Other Charges, Gunpowder Charges and Tubes for Fog Signalling Guns.
TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES,
The Governor recommended the Council to
vote a sum of one hundred dollars ($100) in aid of the vole, Miscellaneous Services, Travell. ing Allowances in the New Territories.
GOVERNOR'S VOTE.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in aid of the vote, Other Charges, Furniture.
POLICE AND PRISON DEPARTMENTS.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of five hundred dollars ($500) in aid of the vote, Police and Prison Departments, 4.-Police, Other Charges, Secret Service.
HONGKONG
SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on Sept. 17th at the Board Room. The Hon. Dr. J. M. Atkinson (president) presided, and there were also present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, C.M.G. (Vice-President), Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe (Registrar-General), Lieut-Col. Reid. B.A.M.C., Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. H. Humphreys, Mr. Lau Chu-pak.
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LIMEWASHING,
During the fortnight ended 27th August, there were 1,441 houses limewashed in the Eastern district, 9 in the General and 2,630 in the Western.
A letter from the Colonial Secretary with regard to this matter was read. It stated that no exception could be taken to the proposed provision to byelaw 5, but the Government agreed with the opinion expressed by the mem- ber of the committee who found himself in a minority on the report that compulsory lime- washing once a year was sufficient. Ciroum stances had altered since compulsory half-yearly limewashing was instituted." At that time no general cleansing of domestic buildings was carried out. Now such cleansings were per- formed two or three times in every twelve months. In these circumstances, and the Board having power under byelaw 4 to order lime- washing in particular cases, the Government hoped that the Board would see its way to amend byelaw 5 so as to make only one annual limewashing compulsory.
The Committee recommended that the follow. ing provision be added to byelaw 5: "Provided always that the provisions of this hyslaw shall not apply in the cases of houses within the European reservation, and houses south of Austin Road in Kowloon." They further suggested that the Board recommend the Government to call for tenders for the cleansing and limewashing required by byelaw 5 to give the owners the option of having the work done by an approved contractor.
Mr. HOOPER minuted-In deference to the opinion of the Government I accept the proposed
amendment.
Mr. HUMPHREYS.-A century ago bleeding and cupping were the remedies of the medical faculty for al ost every complaint under the sun. I do not regard the partial abolition of compulsory limewashing any more a retrograde step than the extinction of any other time worn fetish. The Government have acted wisely.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT.—I think godowns should be mentioned as being among the buildings exempted from the provisions of this byelaw.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK.-The views contained in the reply from the Government are most fair and reasonable. Compulsory limewashing once a year is certainly sufficient. During the plague season, extending over nine months of the year, Chinese houses are cleansed out at least
once a month.
The PRESIDENT remarked that four years ago the Board considered the question of' limewashing, and decided that if it was done by
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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year. A byelaw was passed approving that the annual limewashing should be done during the months of November, Decembar and January. They had asked the Government to approve of such limewashing being done by tender, bat had not yet received a reply on that point. If done by tender, once a year would be sufficient, because the Board could lay down the condition, that a certain percentage of caustic lime, which is a powerful disinfectant, should be usel.
Mr. HOOPER suggested referring the matter back to the committee who had drafted the byelaw, as the question of contract work had to be considered.
The PRESIDENT-I think it is very necessary to ascertain if the Government is willing that this work should be done by contract.
Mr. HOOPER-I think it is debateable. It was agreed to await a reply from the Government on the question of limewashing by contract.
THE SERVING OF NOTICES.
Mr. HOOPER brought forward the matter of notices being served on tenants instead of on owners of property. While he recognised there was a very proper provision in the Ordinance allowing of such service he thought that when owners could be ascertained the notices should be served on them,
The PRESIDENT-There would be a good deal of difficulty in that matter because there is no register of owners kept in the Colony. However, I will have a circular issued setting out that notices must be served on the owners whenever possible.
DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
An application was received from Messrs. Palmer and Turner, asking for a modification of section 188 of the Public Health and Build ing Ordinance with respect to houses situated in Ko Shing Street. The architects asked that certain latrines be allowed on the roofs.
Dr. CLARKE minuted that he recommended that a modification be granted.
The Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G., minuted:-Some of the houses in respect to which modification is asked for bave a depth of 81 feet. They are posing to barely comply with the requirements of the Ordinanc and no attempt bas been made to adopt any improvements on the ordinary type of house, which is universally recognised as insanitary when it contains such a depth as that mentioned, I fail to see what claim the owner can have for any modification and I am strongly of opinion that the applica- tion should be refused.
ed
A WALL TO BE CLOSED.
(September 21, 1907.
HONGKONG ST. ANDREW'S SOCIETY.
The report of the Committee for presents- tion to the twenty-sixth annual meeting to be held at the City Hall, on Friday, 27th Septem- ber, states :--
St. Andrew's Day, 1906 was celebrated by a ball, which was a great success. The Convenors of the different Committees were careful in their expenditure, and we are pleased to say that the Ball Account shows a Credit Balance of $723.93, which has been transferred to the General Account.
A Concert, to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, was held in the City Hall on the 25th of January last. It was much appreciated and proved a success financially. The Committee beg to thank all those who kindly assisted at the Concert.
Mr. R. Macpherson having resigned the post of Hon. Treasurer, owing to his departure" for home on sick leave in November last, Mr. A. 8. Fraser has kindly carried on the duties since then.
The sum of 8302.67 was expended during the year on oharity. Several deserving cases were assisted from the Charitable Fund.
Your Committee deeply regret to record the death of Mr. W. Ramsay which took place on who was one of the original members of the the voyage home in July last. Mr. Ramsay, Society, joining in 1882, was always an en- ergetic worker at our social functions, and his sound advice his help and his genial personality will be greatly missed. He was for three years a member of the General Committee. The fol- lowing deaths have also to be recorded-Thomas Banks, D. A. Andrews and G. Smith in Hong- kong and R. W. Borthwick at home. death of Mr. W. tamsay has been filled by the The vacancy in the Committee caused by the election of Mr. R. ShewaD.
Forty-four new members joined the Society during the year as against twenty-eight in the The previous year substantial increase. Committee ask that Members will kindly assist them in their endeavours to secure new members, and hope that they will do their best to get their friends to join.
Lowe, C.A., for kinily auditing the accounts.
Your Committee are indebted to Mr. A. R.
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORTS.
NEW SLAUGHTER HOUSE FOR KOWLOON.
The reports of the Government Analyst and the Government Bacteriologist on the water
A report of the proceedings of the Public from a well in Lamont's Lane were submitted.
Works Committee was laid before the Legis- Dr. Hunter, Government Bacteriologist, report-lative Council on Sept. 17. At the last meeting
that the sample contained approximately 50,000 to 80,00€ oclonies of micro-organisms per cubic centimeter. Mr. Frank Browne, Govern- ment Analyst, reported that the water was 30 tainted with impurities as to be unfit for potable purposes and Was likely to prove injurious to health.
Both the Hon. Mr. Hewett and Mr. Ham. phreys minuted that the well should be closed.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
For the week ending 24th August the death rate in the British and foreign community was 28.7 compared with 29.9 in the corresponding week of last year and in the whole colony the death rate was 26.0 as compared with 22.3 in the corresponding week of last year.
THE HARBOUR MYSTERY.
ADSETTS EXPECTED SHORTLY.
It would appear that there is truth in the report which was published to the effect that Adsetts was willing to surrender himself to the authorities at Hongkong, for we have received information from a reliable basis that Detective Sullivan and Constable Perkins leave by the 8.8. Rubi for Manila to bring the alleged murderer to this port.
The U. S. 8. Galveston, it is known, left Chefoo recently for Manila, conveying Adsetts to that City, and as the formalities of extradition proceedings will now be dispensed with, it should not be long before he will be placed before a Hongkong jury to stand his trial on the charge of mardering Gertrude Dayton, under circumstances already published..
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there were present the Hon. Director of Public Works (Mr. W. Chatham, C.M.G.), Chairman, Hon. Mr. E. Osborne and the Hon. Mr. H.
Keswick.
The CHAIRMAN submitted blook plans and explained that the removal of the existing slaughter house and cattle depot adjoining Des Voeux Road, Hunghom Bay, was necessitated by the construction of the railway and it was proposed to construct new buildings to replace them on a site near Mataukok, where the drainage, which was of a somewhat offensive nature, ould be discharged into water of son- siderable depth. At the same time, it WAS proposed to make the new slaughter house more than twice the size of the present one' and to add separate sheds for the accommoda- tion of 400 swine and 200 sheep or gosta, for which no special provision existed in the present depôt. The shed for oattle would accommodate 120 heads, being of the same dimensions as the existing cattle shed, which was however uitlized të a considerable extent for the housing of swine, &c. It would be quite possible to defor the construction of either the swine shed or the sheep shed until some future time as it was intended to appropriate a large ares of land which would enable fature extensions to be carried out. The estimated cost of providing the accommodation stated above, including compensation to some squatters who would be dislodged, the preparation of the site and its anclosure by walls and fences, an isolation sħed, the necessary offices, and repairs to an existing house to render it suitable for an inspector's quarters, was $75,000.
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