the island precluded that possibility. knew enough to say so.
He
!
Mr Rowett observed that as it was pos- sible something of the kind might exist a short distance from the town, he would have no objection to voting a small sum by way of experiment.
Mr Hayllar said if they gave the Sur- veyor General any grant, it should be in- oressed, if necessary, to some extent to make a more detailed survey.
The
The Governor thought the present report met that question to some extent. The Surveyor General said that if the detailed survey divulged the absence of rock along the whole line, it would possibly effect an economy of 20 per cent, or £50,000. That was what the Colonial Secretary pointed out. There were two alternatives; to tell the Surveyor General at once, "You need not go and make a detailed survey, because, assuming you to bring up an estimate of £200,000, we won't have it, we cannot afford it, we have not the means to do it;"
A detailed survey. or to bave present state of things might be owing a great deal to the sins or negligence of those who have gone before them; but he was not hopeless of finding the ways and means to meet the difficulty. Then the question was what ought we to do in reference to it? He thought the only step they had to adopt was to vote money for a detailed survey. He did not wish to bias anyone, but if the Council felt strongly against it, they might reject it altogether and say the scheme could not be done. But it was useless to tell the Surveyor You can have such a sum and no more,"
." What would be the answer of any professional man Why, "You must find somebody else, because it is beyond my province and capacity; I cannot do it. My estimate is, what I think, will be sufficient to complete the supply you require; and I cannot tell you any less." In point of fact, the Sur- veyor-General had said in one paragraph, that a reduced supply would not reduce the estimates in the same proportion; he had gone to the lowest. A conduit of less than certain dimensions would not be of service; that was the error at Pok-foo-lum.
Mr May said he had not had the good fortune of reading the Surveyor General's Report, but he could give ble knowledge of the state of things antecedent even to the existence of the present supply. At that time it was supposed that the original plans would give an ample supply. The Ühinese do not on an average use 2 gallons a bead per day in winter. As regarded water for sanitary purposes he thought the drains might be flushod with sea water and in his opinion the Colony ought not to be called upon to pay any more for water than was now paid. He thought the Pokfoolum reservoir sufficient for present wants and that an unlimited supply would lead to waste.
Mr Ryrie did not think the Chinese used or required lõ gallons each a day, and the Surveyor General should be requested to base his estimate ou that assumption. The drains might be flushed by fire engines, and as regarded fires surely some engineer- ing method could be adopted of utilizing the sea water.
Mr Austin here begged to differ from the last speaker as to the amount of water re- quired by Chiness. They wanted as much as the lower orders in England. He thought it too late now to discuss the pri mary question of supply. The Council bad thought it insufficient and had called for a report.
The Chief Justice wished to kuow the exact wording of the motion by which the council was bound.
Mr Whittall remarked that if they had made one mistake, it did not necessarily follow that it was to be continued or re- peated.
Mr Rowett, while complimenting Mr Price on his Report, said the scheme would cost too much. The Colony must cut its coat according to its cloth. If he had a scheme within our moans, it might be considered.
The Acting Attorney Genersi observed that the question seemed to him to be whe- ther the new water works were a neces- sity or not. They must go from step to stop.
The Governor said he had refrained from going into the financial part of the ques- tion, though he could have exhausted their
patience upon it. As the Chief Justice had asked what resolution was passed upon the matter, he might state that when he ar- rived in this Colony, he found it a foregone conclusion that there was an insufficient water supply; and it was resolved without a single dissentient voice to send home to England for a competent officer to come out and report upon the whole subject. Ap- plication was made to the Secretary of State, but just as Mr Rawlinson, the hydraulic engineer, was about being sent out, Mr Price was appointed Surveyor General of the Colony, Mr Price being a pupil of Mr Rawlinson's, was perfectly com petent to undertake the work. Mr Raw- linson accordingly did not come out, Bad
he come, there would, probably, have been an expenditure, not of $2,600, but of £4,000 before even getting his report. It had been said the habits of the Chinese were sucb that they did not need so much water, hut it was our duty to teach them better habits. It was our duty for our own sake} because if an epidemic of small-pox, typhoid fever, or cholera broke out, we should blame ourselves for not having taken preventitive measures and secured B# ample supply of water. He hoped his rosolution to vote $2,300 for the Survey I would be carried; and when that had bean dose, they could consider the ways and means. He denied that the Colony had too much water; indeed, he could place some statements before them which would cause some people to sleep not so easily as they do; but H. E. did not wish to alarm any-
0 10,
H. E. then put the matter of a vote for preliminary expenses to the Council-Mr Rowett proposed that the sum should not exceed $6,000, which Mr Ryrie seconded, and the vote was passed.
An Ordinance was then introduced by HI. E. to empower the Governor to exercise certain powers under the Merchant Ship: ping Act, 1878. The objects and reasons were explained by the Acting Attorney General. They were to secure efficient surveys of vessels and bore referenos to the facts evolved at the enquiry into recent Wan Long disaster. Some discussion took place as to the appeal to the Vice Admiralty Court in oase of an owner being dissatisfied with the survey, but (the standing rules being suspended) the Ordinance was finally read a first and second time, and passed, beingį No. 1 of 1874.
The following votes were then reported from the Finance Committee.
Furniture, Supreme Court, $ 362.80. Medical Department, Small-
pox Hospital
Fire Brigade,
Works and Buildings,
Lighthouses,
do. dv.
86.14.
288.00.
480.00.
15,000 00.
4-900-09: 2,500.00.
The Council was then adjourned sine die.
101