HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
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Hospital Committee, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Property Owners' Association, the Sugar Merchants' Association, the Chinese Medical Association, the Chinese Engineers Association, the Po Yick Commercial Association, the Chao-Chow Residents' Association, the Ling Tung Association and the Hong Kong Coolies' Guild, as well as from hundreds of individuals.
In addition to these we have received from the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce a letter addressed to them in the name of the Kai-fong, which bears several hundred chops of firms and shops. Never in our comparatively long careers as public men have we received so many letters, couched in such strong terms on any one subject.
It is maintained by many that the rider-main system was introduced in the nature of a bargain between the Government and the people, for the people had to pay the cost of laying the mains Now, one party to that with the consent of the Government. bargain desires to abrogate it and has, by its action, practically abrogated it, while the other prefers the bargain to stand.
I readily accept the Government's explanation that Sir Cecil Clementi's undertaking not to abolish the system without giving this Council an opportunity to discuss the question, was over-looked. Still, it is very unfortunate that in a matter of such importance to the people, the Government should have begun the work of abolition without giving the people any warning. It seems to us to be immaterial whether an undertaking to give an opportunity to the public to discuss the matter, had been given or not by a previous Governor. The present Government should have consulted the people before taking any action, as the Administration of 1923 did.
The Government, by its action in fixing meters to some of the rider-mains, has made it, to use the Hon. Colonial Secretary's words, "no longer possible to bring the sections concerned into use on the rider-main principle." There are some 2,600 houses affected in this It means that the occupants of these 2,600 houses, computed roughly at over 10,000 souls, have still to take water from the street-fountains when our reservoirs are full to overflowing, and when the other unmetered houses in the rider-main districts have had a direct supply restored to them since the 2nd August.
way.
This precipitate action of the Government, with its attendant effects, is causing great dissatisfaction to the people directly concerned. We have received numerous letters of protest, which ask that the disconnected houses be accorded the same treatment as are the other more fortunate houses in the rider-main districts. We consider the protest justified, and the request only natural.
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