WATER FINANCES
MEMORANDUM BY FINIAL SECRE
SECRETARY
I.
Separation of Water Department.
97
Two things are involved in this, the setting up
of a Water Department more or less independent or the
Public Works Department and the showing of Water Revenue
The latter can be
separately in the Colony's Accounts,
;1
done without establishing an entirely separate Water Department The Economic Commission of 1934-35 recommended in paragraph 35 of their Report that the Water supply of this Colony should be reorganized as a separate Lunicipal undertaking under Government control and should be kept entirely separate
from the Public Works Deportent or any other Government
Department". The question of maicipalization of certain services is wide and difficult hat it would appear possible to achieve the practical advant res of separation of the water finances without establishing the water Department as a "municipal undertaking. At resent no municipality exists and unless it is desired to place the Water undertaking under the supervision of the Urban Council, a separate Water Department must either be wholly independent or remain under th general control of the Public Works Department. Having regard to the great importance of water to the Colony it appears desirable that the final responsibility for it should rest with the Director of Public Works the scnior ngineering officer
in the Government Service. The Weter Department should therefore be organized as a scurte branch of the Public Works Department, the head of which re:ld be responsible directly to
the Director of Public Works.
2.
I recommand :-
+
(i) The establishun 1 e water Dartment as a Branch
of the Public Works Dartment, the head of which would
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