1
298
3.
The Water and Drainage Works will, at all times, re-
{
quire most carefin supervision.
This cannot be safely entrus-
ted to a staff of overseers and other subordinate officers.
The personal supervision of an engineer, well versed in these
branches of the profession, and fully alive to their importance,
will at all times be necessary. It must not be forgotten that,
in the case of sanitary works, defective administration is more
dangerous than in the case of other public works. A defective
structure, such as a road,causes inconvenience and loss of money;
but badly managed sanitary works may easily produce an epidemic.
requisit ar Cooper possesses these qualifications and he is moreover inter-
ested in the ultimate success of projects in the design of which
he las taken so large a share. So long therefore, as he remains
at the bean of affairs, no objection can be raised to the pro-
posed arrangement.
4.
oease,
5.
If however, Mr Cooper's connection with Hong Kong should
the conditions may be very different. The office of
Surveyor General may be filled by an Engineer, having experience
in many branches of the profession, but not in those comected
with Water Supply and Drainage; and who takes but little interest
in these subjects..
There are at present, in the Surveyor General's and
water and irainage Departments, Fagineers, who, from their train-
ing and experience, should be fully capable of assuming the general
direction of either or both departments. In the Public Service
however, it does not appear to be always practicable to make
prometions
on grounds of suitability and merit alone.
Length of
2
}