CO129-251 - Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [9-11] — Page 301

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298

3.

The Water and Drainage Works will, at all times, re-

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quire most carefin supervision.

This cannot be safely entrus-

ted to a staff of overseers and other subordinate officers.

The personal supervision of an engineer, well versed in these

branches of the profession, and fully alive to their importance,

will at all times be necessary. It must not be forgotten that,

in the case of sanitary works, defective administration is more

dangerous than in the case of other public works. A defective

structure, such as a road,causes inconvenience and loss of money;

but badly managed sanitary works may easily produce an epidemic.

requisit ar Cooper possesses these qualifications and he is moreover inter-

ested in the ultimate success of projects in the design of which

he las taken so large a share. So long therefore, as he remains

at the bean of affairs, no objection can be raised to the pro-

posed arrangement.

4.

oease,

5.

If however, Mr Cooper's connection with Hong Kong should

the conditions may be very different. The office of

Surveyor General may be filled by an Engineer, having experience

in many branches of the profession, but not in those comected

with Water Supply and Drainage; and who takes but little interest

in these subjects..

There are at present, in the Surveyor General's and

water and irainage Departments, Fagineers, who, from their train-

ing and experience, should be fully capable of assuming the general

direction of either or both departments. In the Public Service

however, it does not appear to be always practicable to make

prometions

on grounds of suitability and merit alone.

Length of

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