August 7, 1909.]
Three natives were charged before Mr. F. A Hazeland at the Magistracy on Aug. 3 with the larceny of four cases of Benares opium valued at $4,000, the property of Messrs. Jardine. Matheson and Co., from the s.s Kut Sang. nother man was placed in the dock on A charge of receiving. The hearing of the case was adjourned.
The Japanese Government, regarding Hong. kong as a most important point in view of its geographical position with regard to South China, and in consideration of the trade between Japan and China and also of Japan's diplomatic relations with other countries. proposes, says the Japan Chronicle, to raise the Japanese Consulate at Hongkong to the rank of a Consulate-General. It is believed that the proposal will be put in operation next year.
Inspector Collett effected a clever arrest at Shankiwan on Wednesday night, when a native who has long been suspected of illegally dealing in opium was brought to book. The defendant, whose name appears to have been familiar to opium smokers in the vicinity, had many callers, and among them was an informer who passed in four marked subsidiary coins, and when the police arrived later they found the informer with a quantity of opium and the defendant with the marked coins. His Worship imposed a fine of $130.
Two natives were charged before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Aug. 3 with the larceny of $52 from a money-changer at No. 4, Des Voeux Road West. While one man kept guard in the street the two defendunts entered the shop, one wished to be shown some towels, and while the shopkeeper was taking them out of a safe the other man appropriated the money. The shopkeeper observed him. however, and handed both defendants over to
the police, the man outside making his escape. His Worship sentenced each of the defendants to six months' hard labour.
The eight natives whose arrest at Yaumati on Wednesday evening was accomplished by Detective-Sergeant Appleton appear to have been members of a gang of pickpockets who have many crimes to answer for. few evenings prior to the arrest the police learned that a Frenchman had been robbed of
& number of gold coins, and subsequently Detective Appleton received information to the effect that a few of these coins would be found in the defendants quarters at Yaumati. His search proved successful, and more than successful, for he also found purses, satchels, and pocket-books which had apparently been stolen. The defendants were charged before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy yesterday on a charge of receiving stolen goods, and the hearing was adjourned.
THE ITALIAN CONVENT.
We are informed by the Superioress of the Italian Convent in Caine Road that on Satur- day afternoon the Convent was greatly honoured by two distinguished visits. Before his depar ture for Shanghai H. E. Viceroy Chang Jen Chun, sent his Secretary, Taotai Hsuch Yung Nien, with a letter from His Excellency to the Superioress regretting his inability to visit the Convent for want of time. His Excellency enclosed the very generous donation of $300, which was gratefully accepted. Taotai Hsuch Yung Nien was shown over the whole Convent building and expressed himself as greatly
interested in the hundreds of Chinese children
who are brought up and educated in the Convent.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on Aug. 3 at the Board Room. Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe presided, and there were present: Hou. Mr. P. N. H. Jones (Vice President), Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin (Registrar-General). Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Dr. G. L. Fitzwilliams, Mr. Lau Chu Pak, Mr. Ho Kom Tong. Dr. F. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Dr. Pearse (Assistant Medical Officer of Health), and Fr. W. Bowen Rowlands (Secretary).
BAKEHOUSE BYELAWS.
The HEAD OF THE SANITARY DEPARTMENT submitted a minute relative to an amendment of regulation No. 10 of the Bakehouse Byelaws. Mr. HOOPER proposed the adoption of this amendment, which was seconded by the Prosi.
dent.
117
5 Plague Inspectors. 3 Inspéctors in charge of Cattle Depots, 1 Inspector in charge of Disin- fecting Station, 1 Inspector doing the duties of Storekeeper. 1 Inspector of Cemeteries and 4 Scavenging Inspectors.
Instead of this system, we recommend that Victoria be divided into 12 Health Districts and Kowloon into three and that one Inspector be in charge of each that Scavenging and Plague Inspectors be abolished and that in each district the District Inspector be solely repous- ible for carrying out the Sanitary duties in his district. Dual control would cease and re- sponsibility would be more definitely fixed;
The saving in staff would be soren Inspec- tors and cost of their uniform, house allowance, ste. Of the staff of 21 Inspectors, 14 should- be first class and 7 second class.
.
Head of the Sanitary Department, concurs în Mr. R. O. Hutchison the present Acting
this scheme, which he considers will, produce increased efficiency, bat he urges that allow. ance for 3 Inspectors on 'leave should be made, the establishmont being reduced to 24 only (15 first class and 9 second class),
admitted in other Departments and we do not The principle of allowing for staff on leave is think it necessary to introduce it here.
The MEDICAL OFficer of Health said the decision to allow two men to sleep in a bake- house was only arrived at by the casting vote of the Chairman. There was a certain amount of feeling among members of the Board regard- ing this question, and generally it was not considered desirable that two men should sleep ia a bakehouse. For his own part he did not
The increase of Health Districts from think it at all desirable, and at home no one
10 to 12 was recommended by the canitary was allowed to sleep in a bakehouse. The Commission, and it idea of Chinese of the coolie class sleeping parison of tables of statistics and confu was objected that com. in the room in which the bread we ate at our kion in records of survey of houses would meals was prepared and baked was repuguant result. These objectious are not, in our to our feelings. If any limitation was made opinion, strong enough to bar an improvement to the byelaw he should prefer to see if it is useful. But if a coutrary opinion is held it made to correspond with the dairy byelaws, or if it is considered that allowance should be which prevented anyone from sleeping in a made for Officers absent on leave, then we re- dairy. He opposed the resolution and asked commend that the existing Districts be members to consider the question carefully adhered to, but that the principle of having one before voting on it With regard to the question of eating-houses, he did not want to uspector solely in charge of each be adopted. This will leave 2 Luspectors spare to allow for put difficulties in the way of licences, but he leave, etc. thought there might be another way of getting over the trouble. If people slept on the premises at all they slept with the flour and with the
bread.
houses.
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The VICE-PRESIDENT-Why were two care- takers asked for?
1
2. Both Mr. McI. Messer and Mr. Hutchison
Interpreters can be reduced by 6. are of opinion that the number of Foremen
3. Mr. Messer further suggested that as a Mr. HOOPE thought the last speaker had means of curtailing the work of the Department gone outside the question by quoting eating and of exercising a more efficient control over
The byelaw referred to bakehouses.
: the Sanitary staff. the Eastern, Central and The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH stated Western District offices be closed. Mr. Hutchi- that some of the eating houses were licensed as son agreed as to the Central District Office, bakehouses because they sold bread and biscuits which he considers serves no useful purpose. to customers who did not consume them on the. We recommend that this office be closed with premises.
a saving of the telephone clerk and messenger employed there and of the rout of the premises (5816 per aunum). Mr. Hutchison is opposed to the closing of the Eastern and Western District Offices, principally on the ground that Chinese will go to the District offices about small matters which they will not take the trouble to go to the Head Office for He also hopes to make further use of them for the dis- tribution of rat poison, bird-lime and rat traps. We find that the number of inquiries made at the District Offices in question by the Chinese population averages from 6 to 7 a day with a slight increase when plague is prevalent, and in the face of these figures we are not prepared to recommend that they be closed.
The PRESIDENT-Because one man is appar- ently afraid to sleep on the premises. The second is wanted for greater security, I suppose. The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH moved as an amendment that the matter be referred to a committee to consider the question more fully Dr. FITZWILLIAMS seconded, and the amends ment was carried, the committee appointed being composed of the Registrar General. the Medical Officer of Health and Mr. Lau Chu Pak.
RATCATCHING AT KOWLOON, The ASSISTANT
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH submitted a report concerning rat- catching at Kowloon.
He stated that ten men were engaged in Old Kowloon, while there was one rat catcher in Kowloon ity. The average daily take of rats for 31 days ended July 9th was 51.10, as against 46.3 during a similar period ended May 14th. This was previous to the in- troduction of the Kai Ching average rat catchers.
Mr. HOOPER minuted-What is the Kai Ching? I cannot understand some of the abbre viations in this minute. Perhaps the Assistant Medical Officer of Health will explain at the Board meeting.
4. Mr. Messer and Mr. Hutchison are agreed that at the Head Office, the post of Principal Clerk can be abolished and that the sanitary Surveyor is no longer required. These are reductions that were decided upon in connection with the reorganisation consequent on the report of the Sanitary Commission.
5. They are also agreed that one fifth-grade clerk and one messenger can be abolished. We therefore recommend these reductions and that the two clerks and interpreters to the | м.0.H.'s be required to assist in the ordinary of Health had explained to him the abbrevi.
Mr. HOOPEE stated that the Medical Officer work of the Head Office.
Later in the afternoon H. E. General Sir Joachim Machado, K.C.M.G., with Capts. Cicatti and Norton and Mr. and Mrs. Leiria, also honoured the Convent with a visit. The ations in his report and he was quite satisfied plague corpses, the crew of the plague barge
Portuguese visitors spent the greater part of the afternoon in going over every department of the Convent.
The Superioress desires also to gratefully acknowledge the beneficence of the visitors in their liberal donations to the funds for the maintenance of the poor orphan children.
The East Asiatic Company. Ltd., at Bangkok have secured a contract for twenty thousand tons of steel rails for the new Peninsula line of railway, and construction work is to commence forthwith.
with the explanation.
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RETRENCHMENT SCHEME.
The following report by a Special Committee consisting of Messrs. F. d. May, A. M. Thom son, C. McI. Messer, and Murray Stewart was
submitted for the consideration of members:
6. Owing to the discontinuance of burying
and the watchmen at Cheung Sha Wan ceme- tery can be dispensed with.
7. Mr. Messer has recommended that at the Disinfecting Station, only so many artisans should be employed as for whom there is con- stant work, excess work in the plague season or otherwise being let out to Chinese contractors. This recommendatjón has already been given effect to as far as 9 artisans are concerned. We recommend reduction of staff by 10.
1. On the suggestion of Mr. Messer, who was lately Head of the Sanitary Department, we have the following recommendations to make for re-arrangement of the duties of the Sanitary
8. We further recommend that the over- Inspectors and consequent reduction to staff.
seer at the New Western Market (£110 There are at present 13 District Inspectors, per annum) be abolished and the overseer
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