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New Territory in all weathers has now been completed to deep water in Mirs Bay, north of Shatin, and will be pushed forward to Taipo Hui during the coming year. The estimated revenue for 1901 is $3,909,349.00 and the es- timated expenditure $3,094,270.20 making a deficit of $84,921.29. These figures do not include an estimated surplus in hand at the end of the current year of $846,507.00. Hav.
ing regard to the great uncertainty of the China trade in the immediate future it is desirable to have a substantial balance in hand, and in considering the Public Works-extra- ordinary submitted in the estimates it must be further born in mind that a large expenditure on Sanitary Works may become necessary. I therefore invite you to scrutinise carefully the Public Works extraordinary that will be sub- mitted to you. In the meantime plans of all these works have been prepared and will accom- pany the estimates when submitted to the Se- cretary of State, so that no time shall be lost in carrying out the Works finally approved by him. I am happy to inform you that the plans of the Law Courts have been finally approved and the foundations are being proceeded with, and the long deferred Jubilee Road round Mount Davis will be undertaken by private contractors without delay. The extensive pub- lic and private works now in progress or pro- jected, involving the expenditure of
many mil- lions of dollars, may however exhaust the avail- able supply of labour and modify our estimate of the time in which proposed public works may be completed. The following Bills will be sub- mitted to you :
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to apply a sum not exceeding three millions three hundred and eighty thousand one hundred and thirty-four dollars and twenty-nine cents to the Public Service of the year 1901.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to consolidate the Laws relating to the Post Office.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide more effectual means to ensure the observance, by those in charge of steam launches, of reasonable precautions against piracy and robbery.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the law with respect to the Jurisdiction exercisable in cases relating to the Receipt or Possession of Stolen Property.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to extend the operation of such of the Laws of this Colony as are not at present in force in the New Territor. ies to a certain portion of such Territories.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to further amend the Raw Opium Ordinance, 1887.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Widows and Orphans Pension Fund Ordinance 1900.
I commend them to your careful consideration and I earnestly hope that the shadow of distur- bance that now broods over the Far East may
pass away, after such a settlement as will insure to all men security for person and property when peacably pursuing their lawful avocations. (Applause.)
FIRST BEADINGS.
The following Bills were read a first time:- A Bill entitled an Ordinance to apply a sum not exceeding three million three hundred and eighty thousand, one hundred and thirty-four dollars and twenty-nine cents to the public service of the year 1901.
"A Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the law with respect to the Jurisdiction exerciseable in cases relating to the receipt or possession of stolen property.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THE KOWLOON WATER SUPPLY, A meeting of the Finance Committee was Colonial Secretary presiding. held immediately after the Council meeting, the
The following votes were approved :—A sum of forty-seven thousand three hundred and eighty-eight dollars and fifty-eight cents (47.388.58), in aid of the following votes (Public Works Extraordinary):
Sai Kung Police Station Starling Inlet Police Station City of Victoria and Hill District
Water Works Survey of Now Territory Rifle range, Tai Hang Gaol Extension
Total
...$ 6,500.00 5,471.98
15,000.00 15,000.00 416.60 5,000.00
...$47,388.58
thirteen dollars and ninety cents (8,113.90) A sum of eight thousand one hundred and to cover the cost of the re-construction of the Pier at Sham Shui Po.
A sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) in aid of the vote "Maintenance of Telegraphs."
A sum of sevety thousand nine hundred and eighty dollars ($70,980) to cover the cost of construction and chartering of Steam- launches, &c, for the use of the New Territory; A sum of three hundred dollars (8300) in aid of the vote "Incidental Expenses in the Supreme. Court."
Incidental Expenses, Furniture &c.
Now Territory.
Medicines
Total...
(October 6, 1900.
water represented as having been used by them was in excess of the quantity allowed.
The Hon. C. P. CHATER-If an individual does not get any water the only thing he can possibly do is to keep his tap open so that he may catch some. Some tenants had absolutely
no water.
The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY questioned this. The Hon. C. P. CHATER—That is what I am told, and to get water at all they have to keep apparently air gets through the meters and is re- the taps open, and when they do keep them open
gistered as water. If it is necessary to have an additional pump the Council would not hesitata to approve a vote. It has been the invariable of rule of the unofficial members of this Council nevor to object any vote for water. On the contrary, they had been the people who had been pushing on others, and apparently the Government had not gone on as rapidly as they the unofficial members would have liked to see them go.
the Government to have the water supply of The CHAIRMAN-It is equally the desire of Kowloon placed on a satisfactory footing, and honourable members will find on consulting the estimates that there are very large sums in- serted there with a view to carrying on the works. Unfortunately works of that kind take time. I hope it will be possible to improve the water supply before the water-works are com- pleted. That is a matter which is engaging the attention of the Director of Public Works.
The Hon. C P. CHATER said that the trouble had been that the water staff had been too small. A sum of eight thousand and nine hundred They had not had enough men to carry out the dollars ($8.900) in aid of the following votes:- work in connection with the water supply. The
Government Civil Hospital.
uncfficial members had pointed out more than Provision
$6,900.00 | once that the staff of the water works was far Medical Comforts
350.00 below what it should be. Fuel and Light
500.00
The CHAIRMAN-If that is the case the Washing
400.00 unofficial members are quite right in calling 250.00 | attention to the matter." I shall take steps to ascertain whether the staff is undermanned, 500.00 and if it is it is only right it should be increased. The CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT of POLICE $8,900.00 pointed out that previous to the extension of Kowloon there were по the boundary of places where they could store water and the boundary was only extended a little more than a year ago. The old water works at Kowloon were only of limited capacity. People said, "Why have not reservoirs been made?" He would remind them that they could not go into the Empire of China to do this. As soon as the hills behind Kowloon became British territory steps were taken to provide for the construc- tion of such reservoirs as would ensure an ad- equate supply of water. They could not get water out of stone.
This vote was agreed to on the understanding that the question of the fees paid by private patients should be considered.
The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of two hundred dollars ($200) to de- fray the salary of a Clerk during the current year in connection with the census of 1901.
A sum of four thousand and five hundred dollars ($4,500) in aid of the vote "Maintenance of Waterworks, Kowloon."
}
On the vote with regard to the Kowloon Waterworks being brought up.
The Hon. C. P. CHATER said that probably the Chairman had read the statements made at the Sanitary Board meeting with regard to the water supply at Kowloon. Complaints were numerous, and he was informed that not only had people to pay for water which they did not get but they had to pay for air. He was told that the meters registered air, and that they had registered air as water to such an ex- tent that householders had had to pay for using more water that the quantity allowed when they had not used any water at all.
The CHAIRMAN said that the explanation of this vote was that the expenses in connection with the Kowloon water supply had been excep. tionally heary this year. The two pumps had been repaired at a cost of $2,150.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to consolidate and amend the laws relating to the Post Office.
The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKS said he A Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide more was glad to have the opportunity of reply. effectual means to ensure the observance, bying to the statement as to the registering of air. those in charge of certain steam launches, of It was simply impossible for a meter to register reasonable precautions against piracy and rob-air unless the tap was left open. It had bery.
come to his knowledge that many people at Kow. loon had been in the habit lately of leaving their taps open at night. There had been a great dif- ficulty in keeping up the water supply in Kow- loon. The principal reason was the enormous increase in population, and then the breaking | down of the pumps had given them an immensity of trouble. Pumping had to go on throughout the 24 hours, It was most wasteful for people to leave their taps open all night, and he threatened to prosecute offenders in the future. If the meters of people who wasted water in this manner registered air all he could say was that it served them right. The only complaint, however, which he had had in regard to this matter was a case in which $1.80 was paid by the occupants of a whole terrace because the
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to extend the operation of such of the laws of this Colony as are not at present in the New Territories to a certain portion of such New Territories.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to further amend the Raw Opium Ordinance, 1887.
A Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Widows and Orphans' Pension Fund Ordinance,
1900.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Council adjourned until Monday week.
The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKS said that almost immediately after the British took pos- session of the New Territory he went out with another officer, and they found a stream which they coull tap and bring into Kowloon. They laid a pipe and within a few months the water supply of Kowloon was increased by 50
He and per cent.
Mr. Gibbs then examined a site for a reservoir," and a scheme was drawn up which was now ander the consideration of the consulting engineer at home. The scheme, however, would take two or three years to carry out. There had been no delay on the part of the government, who had never refused him money to carry any works on.
Answering the Hon. C. P. Chater, the DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS assured him that though the construction of the water works at Kowloon would occupy three years arrange- ments could be made in the meantime to in- erease the water-supply for Kowloon.
This was all the business.
The death is announced at Yokohama of Mr. Walter Ewen Townsend, at the early age of 21. The Japan Mail says that the deceased was a promising cadet of H.B.M.'s Consular service in China, and the son of the well-known New York manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. He wont through the recent siege at Peking, during which he was twice wounded, and had gone to Japan to recuperate. Unfor tunately he developed typhoid fever after land- ing at Yokohama, and having no reserve of strength, after his experiences in the Chinese capital, wherewith to combat the disease, he gradually sank, dying on the 23rd ult.
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