A. Shelton Hooper

“ This laid down the important principle that there should be an unofficial majority. For a time the secretary also acted as sanitary superintendent, but, the duties increasing to such an extent that he was unable to devote sufficient attention to outdoor matters, a Medical Officer of Health was appointed. In consequence of the decision of the Legislative Council that in the event of a vacancy occurring the Medical Officer should occupy a seat on the Sanitary Board, all the unofficial save one resigned. ”

“ In England, in such cases, the local authorities have power to acquire the property and effect the necessary improvements, on payment of full and fair compensation to the owners, the cost being chargeable to the rates as a public improvement. ”

“ But in Hongkong the Government demur to the wholesale resumption of property for the reason that the finances of the Colony do not justify the expenditure necessary, and so the trend of legislation has been to compel owners to carry out the many improvements at their own expense, by which, of course, the returns on their investments have been seriously affected. ”

“ The remaining part of the New Territories — a considerable area— is not under the juris- diction of the Sanitary Board. The city of Victoria, which lies on the northern shore of the Island of Hongkong, contains 9,485 dwellings, exclusive of barracks and police stations, and, with the exception of some 982, these are occupied by Chinese. The present rateable value of the whole Colony Is $10,654,338, and that of New Kowloon — the only portions of which territory assessed are Kowloon City, Sam Shui Po, Nga In Tau, and Little Kowloon— $61,835. ”

“ The Sanitary Board's jurisdiction, as offi- cially defined, embraces the island of Hong- kong, which has an area of 29 square miles, and that portion of the British territory on the mainland between the shore and the first range of the Kowloon Hills, extending from the village of Tseung Kwan O, in Junk Bay, on the east, to the village of Kau Pa Hang on the west, with a sea-frontage of about 13 miles and an area of about 16 square miles. ”

“ Such, briefly, was the scheme suggested by the Commission. As a direct outcome of the Commission's recommenda- tions, the Legislative Council passed an amending Public Health and Buildings Ordi- nance, dated July 3, 1908. The principal changes made by this enactment are : — I. — A slightly increased electorate by substituting the word "persons" for rate- payers who are entitled to vote and giving members of the Council a vote for the people's representatives on the Board. ”