June 22, 1908.]
HOITY-TOITY.
(Daily Press, 19th June) With every possible feeling of sympathy for the Volunteer movement, we read and gladly published Lieut.-Colonel CHAPMAN'S letter in our Thursday morning issue, in viting recruits for the local Volunteers. Un- fortunately we omitted one word from his opening quotation, thereby, as he afterwards said, materially altering the sense. The quotation should correctly have read as follows,
"The first duty of every able-bodied citizen is not only to be ready to defend bis country in time of war but to prepare himself for that duty in time of peace. Englishmen alone amongst all the Nations of the World shirk this duty. I trust the splendid example of our Australian Colonies, in making every able-bodied Australian serve in the National Guard, will bring home
to us a sense of our shame."
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. perception of the truth. It is not altered by the admitted facts that dur soldiers and sailors glow with patriotism' as well as with the lust for conquest.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
"
MAN'S letter, we have to add that "the With regard to Lieut.-Colonel CHAP
fact that H. M. Navy and Army are so splendidly represented here" does re- lieve the civilian from his "individual responsibility," defining the last as Lieut.. Colonel CHAPMAN defines it. The enormous military contribution paid by this Colony is quite enough to excuse the absence of any volunteers at all! the homely phrase, that we should keep a Is it reasonable, in dog and do our own barking? Especially when it is such a splendid dóg, and costs us 80 much money. We think that the Hou. L. P. DAWNAY's remarks cannot "well be applied to this Colony." even though it be We have done our best to rectify our it is not to be described as
peculiarly liable to attack. To begin with, "the country' innocent error, which, differing with Lieut of the Hongkong " citizen.'
17 He could not Colonel CHAPMAN, we do not regard as possibly experience any pro patria" feel- materially altering the sense. Be that as ing for it. Then what is the extent of his it may, we wish now to say that with or citizenship? What rights has he? The without the missing word, there was no right to conduct his business in the safety sense in the passage to alter. It was a secured by the garrison ?, True, but he mere impertinence by the doubtless well-pays for that. He has bought it with a big meaning Lieut.-Col. Hon. L. P. DAWNAY. share of his hard-earned profits. Has he Who, we ask,-and we ask on behalf of any voice, any effective voice, in the those numerous able-bodied men who enter. government? No. He is subject, just like tain different views of their first duty--who any vassal, to the undivided authority of is the Hon. L. P. Dawnay, that he should the Crown. It is infamous, to accuse him constitute himself a judge over us, that be of shirking his duties until he be given the should describe us as shirkers, and picture privileges that involve duties. If the Com- us as living in a state of unrecognised mandant wants volunteers (and we honestly shamefulness? We know Lieut. Col. hope, in spite of what we have said, that he CHAPMAN, and knowing his ideal and will get them) he must use other arguments ambition, can forgive him his endorsement than those of the monumentally cheeky of that impertinence. In spite of his Hon. L. P. DAWNAY. precisianism over the missing word, we suppose he did not weigh the words of the whole passage, which doubtless appeared to him only as a striking text for the little sermon he wished to give us. Possibly the Hon. L. P. DAWNAY did not write for publication when he bemired the whole of his compatriots who are not just as militant as himself, but he must stand by what he has said, and we consider he said a little too much. The first duty of every ab'e-bodied citizen is not to make an efficient soldier of himself, but to make an efficient citizen. An efficient citizen is one who brings reason and what is called con- science to bear in a study of all things per- taining to citizenship, to avoid mob passions and prejudices, to keep a cool head in face of party clamour, to loyally support those whom he has himself put in authority, to pay his due contributions to the state, and to see that he gets value for his money. Value for his money includes the provision and maintenance of an effective army and navy, for use when required, but one of the citizen's first duties is to make sure that his professional fighters are required before he calls upon them. That is, he should not be anxious for war except in undoubtedly right causes and serious necessities. War cannot be avoided; the Lord hasn't given peace in our time yet; but it is not such an ever-present peril and such an inevitable evil as it used to be. One of the few good points in the alleged progress of civilization is that we are gradually ceasing to glory in our primal pugnacity, that we are gradually becoming ashamed of killing. That is why the more advanced races, instead of con. scription and universal military service, employ specially trained and paid fighters. The army and the navy afford careers for men who have no conscientious objection to killing their fellow men in the way of duty. This is a crude way of putting it, but it is necessary in order to arrive at a
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on June 18th in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.Q. FREDERICK JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD,
(General Officer Commanding).
His Excellency Major-General BROADWOOD,
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, .M.G., (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. Mr. W. REES DAVIES K.C., (Attorney- General).
Hon. Mr. L. A. M. JOHNSTON (Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G. (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. E. 4. IRVING (Registrar- General).
Hon. Commander BASIL R. H. TAYLOR, R.N., (Harbour Master).
Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, M.B., Ç.M., C.M.G. Hoa. Bir HENRY BERKELEY, K.C. Hon Mr. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C. Hon, Mr. WEI YUK.
Hon. Mr. H. W. SLÅDE,
Hon. Mr. MURRAY STEWART. Mr. C. CLEMENTI (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and confirmed.
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
H. E. the Governor, Isid on the table Financial The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by direction of minutes Nos. 25, 26 27 and 28 and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TesasurEE seconded, and the resolution was agreed to.
RESO, UTION UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDINANCE.
lowing resolution under Section 170 of the The COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the fol- Public Health and Building Ordinance, 1905, Ordinance No. 1 of 1903)." Whereas appli- cation has been duly made by the Sanitary Board to the Governor under Section 167 of the
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Public Health and Buildings Ordinance 1909 for the erection of a public latrine on the site now occupied by No. 1 Chuk Hing Lane; and whereas such application having been approved
site having been duly published in three by the Governor and a notification of the intention to erect a public latrine upon such successive numbers of the Gazette, certain such site have objected to such erection; and owners of property in the immediate vicinity of whereas the objections so made have been con sidered by this Council; It is herecy resolved by the erosion thereon of a public latrine baapprov this Council that the above mentioned site and ed." He said-In connection with this resolution correspondence referring to the subject has they have made themselves fully acquaited been circulated to hon. members and no doubt
with the aspects of the bas“. As far bac't as 1906 the erection of a latrine in this particular health district, No. 4, was recommended by the Civil Medical Officer of Health and the Sanitary Board endorsed that recommendation and a site was selected by the Medical Officer of Health after investigation as to the other suitable sites in the district in question. The necessary formalities have been complied with sad the site has been resumed by the Govern- ment for the purpose in view. The object- ions which are printed in the paper have been made by certain residents in the can only say vicinity. With regard to these objections I that I presume everybody dwelling if it could be avoided. At the same would rather not have a latrine near his
time latrines are necessities. The Sanitary Board has on several occasions urged the Government to increase the supply of public latrines and in pursuance of the policy which has been followed in recent years-the Government extension of the number of public latrines-it sets aside annually a certain sum for the is prop:sed to erect a latrine in this district which, as members know, is in the very heart of the city of Victoria and is very crowded. There is no open space there upon which s latrine under ideal conditions could be erected. It is therefore to meet a necessity that the site be acquired and the public latrine be erected thereon. I may say that the original proposal Was to erect a latrine with 40 seats-that wBS recommended by the Sanitary Board-but that has been modified and the latrine proposed will contain sixteen seats only. The first proposal was for a two storey building but the present one is a one storey building. Therefore there would be far more open space surround the new building than there would surround the other, I have said, 1 think, that is necessary in support of the resolution and I trust the Council will approve of it.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-I beg to second the resolution.
In doing so, I would point out that it is practically im- possible for the Government to provide large open spaces around these places, the value of the land being so high and practically every portion of land in the central district of the city being already fully occupie l. In the present case, Sir, the cost for the resumption alone has been about $300 per seat accommodation. It seems to me it would become a very serious task to provide accommodation to anything like the extent it ought to be provided throughout the city.
The HON. DE, HO KAI–Before this resolu. tion is put to the Council I think we are entitled to mora information for the subject in order to enable members of this Council to give their votes in an intelligent manner. Here we hare an application by the Sanitary Board for the erection of a latrine in a certain locality, the fact has been advertised in compliance with add certain objections were sent in by the neigh- section 168 of the Public Health Ordinance, and bours. One or two of the objections seem to me very cogent, and I should like to have some reference to these from the Government so that we may know that the objections have been well considered and answered. I hold in my hànd a print of one of the letters sent in by the
"(1) The site neighbours. It is dated 2 st May. It states :- is situate in a narrow lane surrounded by the back of tall houses of three stories high. The stench, the obnoxions žies and other evils attendant on a public latrine will particularly affect the kitchens of thess
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