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66
directions for the Colonial Secretary to issue an order that official members of this Board were free to vote on all questions according to their conscience, as if they were unofficials, and I think that went a long way to smooth over matters and create a better feeling. The result of that is, I think, that our time is not wasted as it was before by long meetings and constant controversies between officials and unofficials, I am sure that all members appreciated his action. I may say that when I joined the Board three years ago, I joined it with the intention of approaching every subject that came before me with an unbiassed mind. I had no axe to grind, though some people were un- kind enough to say I had. That is all very well as a matter of prophecy that was three years ago when I stated that I had not, and I will ask you to look back on facts. There have been 105 Board meetings since we were elected, at 90 of which I have been present, and I will challenge any member of this Board, including the secretary with all his past records, to show that I ever gave a vote on anything I was personally interested in, or that could in any way be classed as grinding my own axc, for I disclaim it altogether, and highly disapprove of it. That has been my policy in the past and perhaps it would be more correct if I stated it outside-
if elected, it will be my policy in the future (applause).
SERIOUS STABBING AFFRAY.
A serious stabbing affray occurred at the junction of Lyndhurst Terrace and Gutzlaff Street on Saturday night. As a Chinese "boy," said to be employed at No. 35, was walking along in this vicinity a knife was plunged into his abdomen. The assailant must have made a very hurried departure, and must have been very smart about his task for the "boy" told the police later that he did not see who attacked him. The wounded
was immediately removed to hospital, and it is not expected that he will recover. It appears, from a story the boy" told the police, that his life had been threatened by an amah with whom he formerly kept company. When he parted with this woman and took unto himself a wife she warned him of what would come to and the "boy"
pass,
man
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE SANITARY BOARD ELECTION.
}
A HEAVY POLL-THE RESULT.
Wednesday's election, although a mere trifle to those held at home and in self-governing colonies, showed that the electors were keenly interested. in the men who were to represent them on the Sanitary Board. A large cosmopolitan atten- dance was present when the poll opened at 4 p.m., Oriental and Occidental being anxious to obtain ballot papers. The voters included not only business men, but Naval and Military Officers, Civil Servants of all degrees, from the taipan to the constable, the latter attending in, uniform and in numbers to vote for their choice of guardians of the public health.
Mr. C. D. Melbourne, who acted as returning officer, read the notice in the Government Gazette concerning the election, and then an- nounced the candidates. He informed electors that the names of Mr.helton Hooper and Dr. Fitzwilliams had been spelt incorrectly, but stated that that would not affect the ballot.
When the ballot opened there were between 40 and 50 voters present, and Capt. Hutchinson was the first to record a vote. Assisting Mr. Melbourne in his duties were Messrs. Arthur Chapman, R. H. Crofton, J. R. Wood, G. A. Woodcook, A. Hill, A. B. Suffiad, J. Leonard and W. J. Unwin,
The poll closed at six o'clock and shortly before seven the returning officer announced the result of the poll as follows:
MR. HE TON HOOPER DR. FITZWILLIAM DR. BELILIOS
+
504 343 .313 ..167
MR. H. PERCY SMITH. The first two candidates are therefore elected. The exact number of votes recorded was not made up last night, but eight out of the total number were hrown out.
When the result of the poll was announced, Mr. SHELTON HOOPER said he begged to thank the whole of the electors of Hongkong head of the poll. who had placed him in the proud position at the honour because they had not done so on any He felt it a very great prophesy he had made as to the work he would undertake. He took it as a vote of confidence on the work be had done (Hear, hear and now suspects that he has been assailed by his through the public press, and his object had applause). He had openly stated his policy quondam lover or someone in her employ,
THE S.S. "FATSHAN" AFFAIR.
Our Canton correspondent, writing on the 16th inst. says:-Negotiations for the settle. ment of the Fatehan incident have fallen through. Li Kai Hi, one of the men recently deported by the Hongkong Government and later pardoned, has advised the relatives of the deceased to hold on, with a view to obtaining a larger sum of money.
The merchants here, however, are favourable to speedy arrangement with Messrs. Butter- field and Swire whom they recognise as having been very reasonable in this matter. But with the return of Li Kai Hi from Hongkong on the 13th instant, just as the matter was about to be settled, everything has fallen through owing to this man's mischievous interference.
Li Kai Hi is the leader of a section of the
Self-Government Society who evidently will stick at nothing to prolong the agitation. It was he who originally took up the matter on behalf of the relatives of the deceased. One really is at a loss to understand why the officials and the merchants are unable to put down a man of Li's calibre.
The local newspapers have of late behaved very well and have not published any inflamatory letters or circulars. This morning one or two papers published letters evidently intended to revive popular interest in the Fatshan case, These letters, I have no doubt, were addressed to the Self-Government Society by witnesses for the prosecution at somebody's instigation.
However, as the merchants are favourable towards an early amicable settlement with Messrs. Butterfied and Swire, I doubt whether Li and his clique will meet with much success in the attempt to revive the agitation.
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[January 23, 1909.
elected to the Board, I would, by a close investi- gation of the administration of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance; be able to bring to light not only irregularities of a very serious nature but such a harsh and impolitic administration of the law as to render residence in this Colony for the Chinese, especially the middle classes nearly unbear- able, in addition to which, the wealthyt hinese, who had been in the habit of investing very large amounts of money in landed property, ceased doing so, thereby causing a great depre oiation in that class of securities, which natur. ally reflected on the Government by reducing the amount payable by way of rates, and so des troying that confidence they hitherto had in the Government administration of property laws. The enormous reductions shown in the Govern ment returns of amount realised by land sales alone go a great way to prove it.
ir Matthew Nathan was quick in discerning that something was wrong, and within four months of Mr. Humphreys and myself taking our seats on the Board, His Excellency the Governor appointed a Commission to investi. gate and report on the administration and reputed corrupt practices. The result is well known.
The Commission, so far as the administration was concerned, pointed out its weak points and recommended certain remedies and an alteration of the law.
In many points the administration has been vastly improved; but as to the alteration of the law, which was contrary to that recommended by the ommission, I regret to say that the transfer of a great part of the administration from the Sanitary Board to the Building Authority, which now does not undergo the scrutiny of a Public Board, has, to my mind, not been attended with success.
The instance alone of about one hundred pro- secutions undertaken against persons for not car- rying out notices of the Building Authority, and which it was evident could be complied within the specified time on account of all the work- men available being engaged in making good typhoon damage, is a sufficient indication that Authority is worse than that of a Public Board. the bureaucratic administration of the Building
My endeavour in the past has been to approach every question submitted to the Board with au entirely open mind, giving judgment thereon financial and general politic aspect. after every consideration of it from its hygienic,
I have without fear or favour freely, oritised the Government, its policy and the conduct of its officers, and I purpose continuing the same policy. If you are satisfied with it and return me again as your representative, I should con- tinue to do my best in the future as I have done in the past,
been free criticism of the Government and its policy in any legislation which had been pro- posed. He had carried out his duties in the past without fear, favour or affection (Applause). He repeated publicly that night that he had "no xe to grind," and that he was actuated in what he had done for the general weal of the Colony and for the benefit of the whole community regardless of any class or religion, and he should continue to be so in future (Applause). Before concluding his remarks, and he was sure he spoke on behalf of the other candidat, he wished, to propose a hearty vote of thanks to the presid-candidate for one of the two vacant seats on the ing officer for the way he had carried out his. duties.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
A. SHELTON HOOPER.
GENTLEMEN :-In submitting my name as B
Sanitary Board, I beg to lay before you the following points for your especial consideration.
Dr. BELILIOS seconded this vote, and in doing so thanked the winning candidates for the fair way in which they had carried on this election. He was quite sure he spoke on behalf of Mr. Percy Smith, as well as on his own account, when he said the fight had taken place without any ill feeling whatever (Applause). He bore the candidates no animosity whatever, and was svery, very glad that Dr. Fitzwilliams had got in to obtain special training in this branch.
Firstly, that from my professional training I am specially qualified in hygiene and sanitation and have had to obtain proficiency in the pre- ventive as well as the curative side of medicine, and whereas, in many cases, too much attention is paid to the latter to the neglect of the former, i I am able to show that I have been at some pains
Mr. PERCY SMITH said he would like also to endorse the proposition, and to reiterate what had been said by Mr. Belilios. He was sorry he had not been elected, but no doubt it was to the gain of the community. They could quite rest as- hear and applause). ured, however, that he would try again (Heary
Dr. FITZWILLIAMS was absent at the time the poll was announced.
THE CANDIDATES ADDRESSES.
GENTLEMEN:-The term of office for which you elected me as one of your representatives on the Sanitary Board in 1906 being about to expire, I beg to offer myself as candidate for a re-election.
In seeking your suffrages on the previous oc- casion, I did so from a conviction that, if I were
Not content with having attained honours în the course delivered at Edinburgh University in 1903, I took later an advanced postgraduate suited to condition which prevail in warm and course in Hygiene and Sanitation especially tropical climates. This course was delivered by Professor Simpson, so well-known in Hongkong, as one of the expert members of the late Inquiry Commission, sent out from England at the request of the public, to investigate into the needs and requirements of the Colony from a sanitarian point of view, and who was thus enabled to embody his Hongkong experiences in the course which I had the honour to attend.
I shall be more especially interested in the Secondly, that, as a practitioner in Hongkong,
health of Members of the Community, and would be more closely brought in touch with cases disease in the localities in which they are bred.
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