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water supply which are referred to in the Report of Mr. R. M. Henderson, dated the 20th February, 1928, (other than those which have already been completed) be proceeded with and completed as soon as possible."
After His Excellency the Governor had addressed the Council Sir Henry Pollock agreed to amend his motion, which was subsequently passed unanimously by the Council in the following terms:-
"That in the opinion of this Council it is imperative in the interests of this Colony that permanent measures to increase the water supply of the Colony should be pressed on with the utmost despatch."
In the course of a reply to the motion the Colonial Secretary (then the Hon. Mr. W. T. Southorn), stated as follows:-
"I can well believe, as the Hon. Member stated in a letter to the Press, that the Government 'can reckon fully upon the heartiest support of all sections of the community in putting the water supply and distribution on a permanent and satisfactory basis,' but the Government cannot place upon the Colony a load of debt which it might find difficulty in repaying without an increase of taxation."
To revert to the point that the water situation as disclosed at the beginning of this year came as a surprise to the residents, I will make a few further quotations:-
Chapter 10, paragraph 11, of the Report of Economic Commission, dated February 1935, states as follows:-
"Hong Kong does not at present possess an unlimited supply of water and we are not, therefore, in a position where increased consumption can be regarded with satisfaction as increased revenue. With the completion of the Shing Mun Dam the position will be altered, but until the advent of that happy day prevention of waste is of equal importance with provision of an adequate supply."
In a comprehensive review of the Colony's waterworks His Excellency Sir Cecil Clementi addressed the Council at length at a meeting held on the 5th September, 1929. (See page 134 et seq.). In the course of his remarks he stated as follows:
"The aim of this Government is to give every house connected with the waterworks, both on Hong Kong island and on the mainland, a full supply of filtered water throughout the year. This should become possible in 1932, when the first section of the Shingmun scheme, the Kowloon Byewash reservoir and the new Aberdeen reservoir will, we hope, all have been completed
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