Hongkong.
1904
3rd May 7
Sir,
Government House, Hongkong, 7th May, 1904.
With reference to your Despatches Nos. 83 and 91 of the 17th, and 85th March last, I have the honour to inform you that after full consideration I cannot recommend that the Admiralty or His Majesty's Military Forces should be granted exceptional privileges in connection with the payment of water-rates.
I enclose a schedule showing two quarters' consumption of water by the Naval and Military Authorities and by other large local consumers, from which you will see that if unfiltered water is taken into account the firm of Jardine, Matheson and Company consumes more than either the Navy or Army.
A sliding scale of rates, whereby very large consumers might be granted an abatement, would not be seriously objected to by this Government if the supply of water were unlimited. But when, as is the case, the Colony has not sufficient water to meet its requirements and while additions to the supply necessitate the large expenditure that they do, it is desirable to discourage excess consumption and prevent waste: which can only be done by adhering to a fixed rate irrespective of the quantity consumed.
I may add that for some years to come the Government will be spending large sums of money on the improvement and extension of the water supply, and at the expiration of that time will have to pay a larger annual amount for maintenance owing to the fact that much of the water will have to be pumped. And so rapidly is the Colony growing that it is easy to foresee that no...
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P.,
&c., &c., &c.
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