THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, SEPTEMBER 6, 1929.
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2. A requisition for two Engineers for the Waterworks Sub-Department was addressed to the Secretary of State on 22nd March, 1929, and a request was made that the services of Mr. Henderson might be utilized in select- ing the officers.
3.) The pipe line is to be laid along the bed of the harbour. It will be exposed to the risk of dragging anchors, and of ships inadvertently dropping their anchors in the proximity of the pipes even though the area is a prohibited anchorage. The effect of corrosion and abrasion have still to be experienced: also the effect of typhoons upon the shore connexious of the pipe line at each end.
Special joints are required and only experience can show if the type selected will prove the best possible.
The best method of laying the pipes can only be discovered by the experience to be gained in laying the first pipe.
() Numerous submarine water pipe lines have been laid in various places
including the place referred to by the Honourable Member.
(2) Information from the Vancouver authorities was obtained several months ago and carefully studied, but it was not considered necessary, in view of the information received, to alter the details of the projected scheme for Hong Kong.
The experience of the Administration Board of the Greater Van- couver Water District has shown that the laying of pipe-lines across the bed of a harbour subject to strong tides - which are also a feature of our harbour-has serious disadvantages. Constant movement of sand and gravel by the force of the tides canses serious abrasion of the pipes. Then again pipes are sometimes broken by the hurried casting of ships' anchors in sudden emergencies. This risk of course increases with the steady increase in the volume of shipping.
he Administration Board of the Greater Vancouver Water District is not altogether satisfied with its cross-harbour pipe-lines, and is con- sidering the feasibility of boring a pressure tunnel.
Details of the laying of a pipe line at Guayaquil, Ecuador, where conditions are similar to those of Hong Kong harbour have also been received and considered.
7. The Hon. Mr. J. P. BRAGA, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions :
1. What are the respective dates and amounts of the premium paid for Crown land leased to the Kowloon Tong and New Territories Develop- ment Co., Ltd., under Clause 5 sub-sections (a), (b) and (c) of the Agreement dated 26th October, 1922, between the Government and the Company?
2. Is it a fact that there is still owing by the Company to the Government
a sum of $318,450.14 as the balance of land premium?
3. In view of the fact that about one-sixth of the estimated total cost of land and building is paid by each out of the 242 subscribers to the Scheme upon his signing the Agreement with the Company, and before any actual work is commenced, what is the explanation for the large sum stated in Question 2 being still unpaid to Government in respect of land premium?
4. Has the Government knowledge of a circular letter, dated 2nd July, 1929, issued over the signature of the Managing Director in which the sum of $2,990,258.49 is stated as the sum "which represents the total amount payable by the entire body of Subscribers under their respective Agreements in respect of all the houses embraced within the Scheme", i.e., the Kowloon Tong Estate Scheme?
5. Is it a fact that the signatory of the letter referred to in Question 4 besides being the Managing Director of the Kowloon Tong and New Territories Development Co., Ltd., is also the paid architect of the said Company