December 1, 1902.
THE WATER QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 22nd November.) For the past three weeks the city of Victoria has been on intermittent water supply, and as a natural consequence (for so we must call ith a certain number of inhabitants have been deprived of all water except such as they can procure by sending out for it or fetching it themselves. It may be taken that the intermittent system will be continue. henceforward up to next year's rains, and that the unfortunate people whose pipes the water is unable to reach will be obliged until the raius t get their supply from outside. We need not here dwell upon the fact, to which attention has so frequently been called of late, that the rainfall for January-October, 1902, was no less than eight inches above the average for that ten-month period. Ap interesting Water Return was published in our issue of yesterday showing the levels and storage of water in the reservoirs on this island on the 1st instant. As the figures may have escaped the attention of some of our readers we give them again below:- LEVEL. 1901.
Tytam
Pokfulam
Below overflow.
20 ft. 4 in.
12 ft. 8 in.
Wongn icheong 31 ft. 10 in.
Tytam
1902.
Below overflow. * ft. 11 in. 11 ft. 5 in. 45 ft. 0 in.
STORAGE GALLONS.
1901.
234,110,000
38,740,000
Pokfulam.. Wongneicheong
Total
3,257,000
1902. 312,610.000 41,359,00)
276,1-7,000 35°,931,000 Looking at the October Water Return, we find that there was on the 1st October, last a total of 439,981,000 gallons in storage, Juade of 359,010,000 gallons at Tytam,
up 59,980,000 at Pokfulam, and 20,991,000 at Wongneicheong. Since that date Wonguei- cheong, which was then 7 feet 9 inches below overflow, is now returued as com- pletely exhaustell, while Tytam has lost 16,400,000 gallons and Pokfulam 18,639,000 gallous. The average consumption per head of population remained in November as in October that, is 18.3 gallons per head, while the population of Victoria and the Hill district was 216,000 on the 1st instant as against 215,600 the previous month. As it depends on the effect of the curtailed supply we will not attempt to work out the question of how long our present supply is calculated to last.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
415
THE INTERMITTENT WATER SUPPLY. Hon. Mr. PLAYFAIR asked:-Would the
give this Colony an adequate supply instead of tinkering at the reservoirs in so dilatory is finished Hongkong has quite outgrown why very many houses, which ought to get the a fashion that by the time an enlargemt Director of Pablic Works give some explanation
of th inequalities of the intermittent system- the increased storage capacity. Has the European public been apathetic with
full supply for the advertised po iod, got little regard to the water question? The sub-insuficient pressure? Also, what steps, if any, or a water and even that little at a most ject is one which has constantly been dis are being taken to rem dy this state of affairs? cussed in the organs representative of
The DIRECTO 2 OF PUBLIC WORKS-In cases public opinion and among the residents themselves for years past, has been alluded to in numerous discussions on the state of Hongkong, and has been brought up at the Legislative Council by Unofficial members. It is true that there has been no public petition of the European community to H.E. the Governor with direct reference to water storage and supply. If this proves lack of interest, then the European residents
as
A
lack interest in the matter. But it is evident that it does not prove that. public petition such as that of 191 is equivalcut to a vote of a confi·lence in the Government, and a commission of experts was appointed, after that petition had gone home, expressly to examine into the whole sanitary condition of the Colony, and as one of that commis-ion's members did actually report on the question of the Colony's water supply. another petition should naturally be superfluous. It will readily be understood that the necessary increase of supply is not one that can be made at once. What we want from the Government is an assurance that extraordinary measures are being taken to hasten on a task of extraor dinary urgency. We have received no such assurance, and in consequence the public must begin to suspect the worst. That such a state of affairs is dangerous it If the local authorities do not take the first requires no especial penetration to perceive. possible opportunity of giving the explana- tion which is due to residents, in this Colony, they will be justly open to the charge of grave neglect of duty, and the public will be compelled to take up a much stronger attitude of opposition.
It was charged against the European community by our junior evening contem- porary two days ago that their apathy in matters of public interest (such as the water question) contrasts ill with the public spirit shown by the Chinese community. Incidentally remarking that it is rather curious to find the Telegraph speaking of "our" apathy, when that journal is owned by the Chinese and is generally understood to represent Chinese opinion in Hongkong. we do not consider thit the European residents here can fairly be called apathetic in the matter of the water supply. Our Chinese fellow-townsmen have
no doubt done well for themselves in pressing forward i a scheme for an auxiliary water-pipe system in the place of meters, and they will benefit if the scheme can be carried out. But this i has nothing to do with improving the actual storage-capacity for water in Hongkong, which is the point of the whole matter. Public spirit alone will not enlarge the reservoirs any more than apathy will contract them. The only way in which public spirit can be directed with success: toward the solution of the difficulty is by keeping constant pressure upon the Govern ment until it takes the necessary steps to
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
held on the 27th alt. in the Council Chamber, A meeting of the Legislative Council was Present:-
HIS EXCELLANCY THE GOVER OR, Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
>
HIS EXCELLENCY Sir W. GASCOIGNE,
K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
Hon. F. H. M、Y, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary). Hon. Sir HENRY SPENCER BERKELEY, KT. (Attorney-General).
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Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY, R.N.| (Harbour Master). ·
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Dr. F. W. CLARK (Medical Officer of Heith).
Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, C.M.G. Hon. WEI A YUK.
Hon. C. S. SHARP, Hon. C. W. DICKSON. Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR. Hou. R. SHEWAN.
Mr. C. CLEMENTI (Acting Clerk of Council).
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minutes (Nos 62 and 631, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee The COLONIAL TREASURER secondel, and the motion was agreed to.
GUARANTEED OFFICERS,
Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR asked: Whether the Government intend to require all Officers above the status of Unpassed Cadets to be arauteed by an approved Gusrantes Society instead of being guaranteed as at present by The COLONIAL SECRETARY replied in the negative,
private individuals?
wh re the house services are inadequate or defective in various parts of the City, public fountains are being erectel to enable the people to obtain a supply of water.
INCREASING THE WATER SUPPLY. able Director of Public Works inform the Hon. C. S. SHARP asked: --Will the Honour-
progress in connection with the scheme for Council-(1) What works are now actually in increasing the water supply of the Colouy-at Tyiam? at Tytam Tak? (2) What will be the addition to the water supply of the Colony from these works when they are completed. during the winter of next year, in the event and what quantity will be available from them of there being at least a normal rainfall during next roar?
The DIRECT 2 OF PUBLIC WO ́ KS-
-(1) At
Tai am the construction of a reservoir below t'☛ byewash, capable of containing about 3 million gallons, is in progress. At Tytam Tuk, pre- the practicability of constructing a dam capable liminary works are in progress to determice of impoanding about 1,000 million gallons. Ten lers have been received for a pumping en- gine capable of delivering 1 million gallons da ly into the tuunel at Tytam. (2) The first part of the question is answered in the above. With regard to the second part, though the permanent works cannot be sufficiently adv incod to be available by the winter of verb yaar, it is anticipated that a supply of about 100 million gallous will be obtainel by pumping fron Tytam Tuk.
FIEST READINGS. The following Bills were read a first time on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY:-A
Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend The Widows sad Orphans' Pension Fand Amendment Or- dinincs, 192 (No. 12 of 1992); a Bill entitl d an Ordinance to further amend The Rating Ordinance, 1901; a Bill entitled an Ordinance to ament The Chinese Hospital Incorporation Ordinance, No. 3 of 1870; a Rill entitled an Ordinance to repal Ordinance No 5 of 1902.
EMPLOYERS AND SERVANTS.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance tɔ
duction of this Bill and the necessity for its amend the law relating to employers and servant. He said-The reasons for the intro-
being passed into law were, I think, obvions to the gaueral community before the Govern- ment introduced the Bill itself. The general complaint sincs I have been here-which is not which, I believe, had been prevalent long pre- long, only same months now-and the complaint
vious to that, was that great inconvenience had been experienced by employers and a great loss after making legal engagements for service re- inflicted upon them from time to tim- by servants
being left with practically no remedy in thesa fused to enter upon that service, the employers cases because the persons against whom a remedy was required were persons against whom it was of no value to proceed, and in a psition that would make it a lows of time and mony to enforce a civil remedy-damages for breach of It was felt gons rally, and indeed the Government were indirectly asked to consider whether the time had not arrivel when the
the world should be brought int› force; and that provisions of the laws in forc in other parts of
parsons of that class generally known as servants shou'd by summarily dealt with, for breaches of the character describad, by the Magistrate. Well, the Government took the matter into consideration and the result was that this Bill or sne of the provisions as dealt with that particular matter. The Bill also deals with the question of servants absenting themselves wi h- out leave, careless or negligent performance of work, insolenc and otherwise unbecoming conduct. The Bill proposes a summary remedy to employers in all the cases I have mentioned. At the same time the Bill provides amply for the protection of the servant in the performance of his duty, protection being given that he will
contrac".