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also obtained an unlimited supply of water through a service without payment except in the form of rates. A similar house outside the City boundaries had to obtain its supply from street fountains, whilst paying the same water rate as the house inside the City.
6.
From the necessity of introducing the intermittent system of supply for some period of nearly every year, it became apparent that something must be done in order to conserve the water supply. It has only been found possible to maintain the full supply during 4 years since 1891 when the Tytan Works were brought into use.
The experience gained in Kowloon showed that the most effective way to check waste would be to make the lower classes of the population, the occupants of tenement houses, obtain their supply from street fountains.
This object was first sought to be attained by the introduction of universal meterage, what may be termed the 'free' supply of water being placed very low. It was hoped that rather than incur the expense of paying for excess consumption, the lower classes of the population would fetch their water from the street fountains where they could obtain as much as they required free of charge except in so far as the payment of rates is concerned.
7.
A Bill was drafted which provided for universal meterage, and excess consumption was defined in it as any quantity of water ascertained by meter as having been used in a tenement in excess of a quarterly allowance which at 50 cents per 1,000 gallons would be equal to 1/3 per centum on the (annual) rating valuation of the said tenement.
Under