75
HONG KONG.
WATER SHORTAGE EMERGENCY-JUNE-AUGUST, 1929.
No. 1920
The possibility of a water shortage was foreseen by the Water Authority of the Public Works Department in November. 1928 and steps were taken to order four steel storage tanks through the Crown Agents. This order was transmitted by Cable.
These tanks were erected early in 1929 and were put into use in March, being served with water brought from Lai Chi Kok by the Union Water Boat Co.'s craft.
Water was also obtained from Taikoo Sugar Refinery Reservoir by arrange- ment with the Managers, Messrs. Butterfield and Swire. In May the situation show- ed no improvement and inquiries were made by the Public Works Department with regard to the possibility of obtaining water from outside ports and the means of tran- sporting it to the Colony.
At the beginning of June an informal meeting was held in the Board Room of the offices of Messrs. Jardine Matheson & Co. at which were present most of those who subsequently constituted the Shipping and Landing Sub-Committee of the Water Emergency Committee.
On 12th June a meeting was held in the Council Chamber, under the Chair- manship of Hon. Mr. D. W. Tratman, Acting Colonial Secretary, at which the com- mittees as shown in Appendix "A" were constituted. The Hon. D.P.W. gave a re- sumé of the position (see Appendix "B"). It was also agreed that it had become necessary for the Government to obtain powers to requisition any Lighters, Water- boats, Tugs or other vessels necessary for organising an emergency supply of im- ported water and if necessary to take over and use "Private" supplies.
At the meeting of 21st June in Council Chamber Mr. Sutherland reviewed the activities covered by 3 meetings of the Shipping and Landing Sub-Committee in which they had considered the question of obtaining of supplies from Shanghai, Wang- moon and other sources. The means of transporting the Water so obtained was also discussed.
Mr. Manners, Chairman of Kowloon Residents' Association read proposals, put forward by that body (see Appendix "C").
The Hon. Sir Shou-Son Chow and Hon. Dr. Kotewall referred to a scheme for pumping from Tytam Tuk into the Mains. On 1st July Mr. S. T. Williamson was appointed Controller of Imported Water.
A further meeting was called by the Chairman, The Hon. Mr. W. T. Southorn, C.M.G., on 8th July, in order that the views of the Government on the Tytam Tuk Scheme might be placed before the full committee.
The Hon. D.P.W (Mr. H. T. Creasy, C.B.E.) after reading the latest return of storage in the Island Reservoirs read his memorandum on the subject (see Appendix "D").
Mr. Williamson reviewed the action taken by the Shipping and Landing Com- mittee since his appointment on 1st July giving particulars of water dealt with and the steps taken to gather data of various sources of supply (see Appendix "E"), and Mr. Sutherland expressed appreciation of Government's acceptance of the suggestion that a small Executive Committee be formed out of the body of the Shipping and Landing Sub-Committee. He also reviewed the situation (see Appendix "F").