O O P T.
465
Enclosure No. 1 to Despatch No. 269 of the 84th. June, 1903.
Mr. Chadwick's Report on the Sanitation of Hongkong. 10th. April, 1903.
Recommendation (j), page 18.
C. O. 31334
Pro 31 JUL 02
Universal Meterage.
It has been practically decided to adopt this recommendation in the belief that, in the case of tenement houses, the landlords will decline to have meters provided and will leave the tenants to procure their water supply from public fountains. If this be realized, the number of meters to be provided will be greatly reduced.
The domestic buildings in the City of Victoria, according to the Medical Officer of Health's Report for 1901, number 9,048, exclusive of Barracks, &c. The existing number of meters is only 388 in the City and most of these are for Trade Supplies or Public Institutes.
If all buildings were metered, about 9,000 additional meters would require to be fixed. The cost of these may be taken at about $60 each, or $540,000. This does not include Kowloon, as the water has not been laid on to Chinese houses there.
I presume, however, that the number of meters required may be estimated as follows:-
Non-Chinese Dwellings 872 Chinese Dwellings (wealthier portion of the Community) say 1,128 Total 2,000The cost would therefore be about $120,000. As rent will be charged for all meters, this expenditure would be reproductive. The lowest rent is $8 per annum, so that the income would be $16,000. That, however, covers the cost of maintenance. All houses in the Peak District and all European houses in Kowloon are already metered. The meters for these places number 145, and 140 respectively.
Recommendation (a), page 18. Disconnect all house-services and supply people from public fountains.
An Ordinance is now before the Legislative Council conferring the necessary powers on the latter Authority to do this.
Steps