there voted Hon. C. W. Dickson, Sir C. P. Chater, the Colonial Treasurer, and the Director of Public Works; and against it Hon. R. Shewan. The Committee then adjourned.
THE PUBLIC WO. KS COMMISSION. Hon. R. SHEWAN asked-Has the recom- mendation of the Public Works Commission that the following additions be made to the Works Staff, via:--2 Executive Engineers, 1 Assistant Engineer, 5 Oversears, and I Clerk, been carried out, and if not, why not?
to be afforded for controlling the supply of water in case of need.
This has been done by providing in the present Bill for the supply of practically the whole of the Chinese portion of the City through "rider-mains." which all the services to the houses near which These are subsidiary mains, to they are laid will be connected, and, as they can be shut off by means of valves from the principal mains, the supply of water to the hons:s can be restricted to any extent considered uecessary without shutting off the water from the City generally as has to be done at present. The powers of restriction are vested in the Water Authority, subject to the general control of the Governor in-Council,
*
The areas within which the "rider-main system is to be applied are to be defined by the Governor-in-Council and, when an area has hoon so defined, all services to tenements within it will be disconnected from the principal mains and connected to the rider-nding as they are laid, unless the Governor-in-Conncil ex- pressly allows any tenement to retain its service conuec'ed with the former. This is uec ssiry to provide for premises in which any trade may be carried on, for which a constant supply of water may be practically essential, or which, for other reasons, it may be considered desirable to exempt from the "rider-main"
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-In auswer, sir, to the hon. member's question, I have to say that the whole of the staff recommended by the Commission which enquired into the Pub ia Works Department has been appointed with the exception of one assistant engineer for maiuten- ance work andone overseer for reads inside the City. The increase of the staff recommended by the Commission was based on the assumption that a sumof nearly $800,000 would be spent annually on public works extraordinary. With the large expenditure on water-works. part of which are being carried out by a private firm, it is not contemplated that the Colony will be able to spend so much es was contemplated for public Works exclusive of water-works. Therefore a smaller staff thau was recommended appears to be sufficient.
FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were read a first time:system. An Ordinance to set apart a
holiday to be known as "Victoria Day" in loving remem brance of He: Most Gracious Majesty the late Queen Victoria; an Ordinance to prevent intrusion by other than sorvant of the coenpier of premises into the portion of such premises used as servants' quarters; an Ordinance to provide for the Recovery of Costs and Charges incurred by the Colony by and on bobalf of imbecile persons introduced into the olony; an Ordinance to provide for the Regulation of the Export of Cattle and other Live Stock from the Colony,
WATERWORKS CONSOLIDATION OR DINANCE.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to repeal The Water-works Consolidation Ordinance, 1902, and to provide for and regulate the Supply of Water in the Colony of Hongkong and for the Maintenance and Repair of the Works in connection therewith.
The following objects and reasons attached :-
were
The Water-works Consolidation Ordinance (No. 29 of 1902), which provided for the dis- connection of all services to tenement houses, except in special cases, and the supply of auch premises with water from public fountains placed in the streets and laues did not meet with the approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies and instructions were received to modify its provisions in such a way as to enable the services to be retained whilst facilities were
!
The cost of constructing the "rider-mains" and making the necessary alterations in the services wil. be charged against the owners of the various touements within the areas defined by the Governor-in-Council.
Outside the areas defined by the Governor-in- Council and in all cases of exemption within these areas, all services are to be provided with meters.
This is merely an extension of the system which has been in force outsid the City of Victoris for a number of years past. In the Hill District and in Kowloon all supplies, though services to private premises, are at present metered.
In the case of metered supplies an allowance of water in proportion to the rateable value of the premises will be given in respect of the water rate, which is included in the gouern rates, but all water used over and above that allowance will be charged for as "excoss consumption." This, it is hoped, will condnes to the prevention of waste, which is the chief object aimed at in this Bill, as it was also in that which it is intended to replace.
In periods of scarcity of water, the inter- mittent sys era of supply will be put in force in the "rider-main' districts only and, as it
will be possible to afford every tenement a supply within a very brief period, it is believed that the necessary economy in the conanmption will be effected without extending the systəni to the City generally. This will enable the
occupiers of premises which are supplied by meter to enjoy a constant supply of water and it will also provide means for dealing with outbreaks of fire, as all the principal mains will bo cous antly charged with water.
Until the rider-muins" have been applied to a considerable portion of the City, it may be necessary to revert to the universal application of the intermittent system as hitherto, but it is hoped that, with their application over au ex- tended area, this will become unnée :ssary.
The COLONIAL SC PETARY seconded. General GasCOIGNE-Before you put the question to the vote, sir, may I ask if this Bill bas been submitted to Mr. Chadwick P
H.E. the GOVERNOR-NO. General GASCOIGNE-But has Mr. Chadwick seen the Bil P
Then
me
Hongkong showed the most loyal patience 27 forbearance in bearing the terrible troubles that came upon them in consequence as our reservoirs became empty and after they were almost absolutely dry the rains Mr. Chadwick, who had been with Cante on by a dispensation of Providence. practically the whole time when that pressuro was over Hongkong, said to me what I wish to point out to the Council before this Bill goes any further. He said to me, "General, you I came to Hongkong to make these reservoirs have got the opportunity of your life. When in Hongkong there was at that time an Officer Administering the Government like yourself, I be cat off from Chinese tenement honses 80 proposed to that Officer that the water should
measure as to prevent waste and this was the only The matter was discussed and it met with to adopt to prevent this waste. an
amout of opposition; and Mr. Chadwick said to me that as when he made thesa reservoirs they locked so vast to kim at that time-the Colony then not being anything like the size it is now as regards population--he felt that perha s to th. or upon the Acting Governor-which was not the same thing as the real Governor-the res.onsibility The COLONIAL SECRETARY--I do not wish not absolu sly necessary, would be a hard of an unpopular measure if it was perhaps to interrupt His Excellency but I may thing; and he therefore recommended the Acting Governor of that day not to press it;
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL--I think not. It is not necessary that he should, because the principle involved is the same as in the existing Ordinance.
General GASTOGNE-I think, if I may be allowed to be iu order, that it is only my duty to point out some of the remarks that were made to me by Mr. Chadaick last year just after the water famius You, sir, were away from the Colony on the occasion of the Coronation of His Majesty--—
state-
enor nous
decision once and that The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I desire to in- "Now," terrupt
upon
The GOVERNOR-I would suggest to the hon. Attorney-General that he allow the bon. Major-General to speak on the question of whether this Bill should be read a "first time, and after the hon. Major-General has spoken it will be for the attorney-General to make any remark he may desire,
H.E. the GOVERNOR-His Excellency the and he told me he had only regretted that Major-General is in order.
was ever sinos. be sid, "you have the fumine now is the time to make this Ordinance to you. Everybody has suffered and prevent waste." He told me, "Gneral, as long as you do not positively prevent the waste of water that goes on you will never have sufficient water even though you may make Hongkong one vast reservoir, but I tell you that if you can check the waste that goes on in Chinese houses you will bave sufficient water in ordinary seasous, in every soas.n, even without new res rvoirs. I came down very much impressed by that to the Council and there are many gentlemen on the Council to-day who will remember that when it was first propused they were averse to it. They were of opinion that the supply should be one and the same for both
General Gasco1GNE-I will, if I may be allowed to. You, sir, were not in the Colony last year you were attending the oronation of His Majesty-at the time of the water famine, I had the honour at that time of administering the Government in your absence, and the period of auxiety the Council and I went through at that time will be remembered by some of the gentlemen who are resent here to-day. Europeans ond Chinese. The question was We began to look into the water question very threshed out in committee of the Council and early indeed in February so we were not afterwards those who were at first against it canghit napping in that respect, but the famine came round and we passed the Ordinance that went on and on anti-I am speaking from is now in the e urss of being altered and amend- memory-the first week in May. We had an ed; and all I can say is that I personally importation of cholera, which was imported, felt that tho very ius enificant part I took in it it is true, and it was a most anxious and was a proud one because 1 felt that we had done serious business for me and for the Council to face the drought which was impending over us. The Council gave me a free band and assisted me in every possible way with advice and counsel, and I am bound to say the public of
thing for Hongkong which was a lasting benefit to the Colony I am aware that the Se. retary of States for the Colonies, as put in the objects and reasons of the Bill, has tele- graphed to your Excellency asking if no other
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