Your Lordship will see, a very drastic step; it may result in the destruction and re-building of 1/10th part of Hongkong. It will certainly necessitate the extension in some direction of houses fitted for Chinese occupation. On improved sanitary principles- It will doubtless cause a general increase to Rent, due to increase in the cost of living and the rate of General release in the wages.
I will also necessitate the storage capacity facing an increase of water supply, so as to provide an additional supply of about 80,000,000 gallons of water.
The Expense to the Government of such sweeping alterations and Additions it is impossible to estimate.
As regards the existing drainage and Water works and their construction and Extension Your Lordship will no doubt consult the Engineer, the Director of Public Works, who can give you the fullest particulars and most reliable information in respect to those subjects.
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In reply to my speech, I may here mention that on behalf of the Unofficial members and the Community at large the senior Unofficial Member the Honourable C. P. Chater promised that the Government should be loyally supported in its efforts to deal with the unfortunate dilemma in which the Colony is placed. That promise I have inferred, in sober truth, is the amount of Βασιλικό outlay, the extent of which it would be at present in vain to predict.
I may remind Your Lordship that in the case of Mauritius the Imperial Government came to the assistance of the Colony about two years ago.
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I have to doubt that if ...
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