the
Receptacles for rubbish; and, worst of all, it is terribly overcrowded. This overcrowding he had strongly brought to the notice of Government before the epidemic broke out. Mr Cowie argued against the new system of sewerage on the ground that if there is not enough water to flush the drains, and that the drains empty into the sea through a flat foreshore where there is not sufficient fall.
He, like the Governor, would have preferred open drains as in Chinese cities, but now that the other more advanced system is being followed, he apparently agrees with the Governor having flushing stations, into which sea water would be raised to flush the drains.
I have no belief in surface drains, and there can be no doubt that Mr Cooper and Mr Chadwick are known experts. Mr Cooper tells me that there is ample fall for the drains, and also that the sewage itself flushes the drains. We have two very opposite sets of opinions, but experts must be supposed to know what they are doing and talking about.
This, I understand, is to cost $50000 for improving the water supply, to raise the height of the dam of the Pokfulam water works.
It also proposes $1,000,000 for resuming land on which the chief mortality had taken place and rebuilding. Mr Cooper tells me that he thinks the insanitary houses should be pulled down, but that the infected ground should not be built upon again at once. Nor would he, nor does he think that the Government should rebuild. He thinks that the land should be resumed and that after an interval it should be reallotted on lease, and that the Government should carefully keep all lanes and alleys under its control.
Now here is a very big undertaking involving a lot of money. That something of the kind must be done I do not doubt, but surely...
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