328
9.
TELEGRAM from the 0.A.G. of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State
for the Colonies.
Dated 4th December.
(Received, Colonial Office, 11.10 a.m., 4th December, 1928).
27
Your telegram of 19th November. Water supply.
Public Works engineers are not prepared to accept the assumptions
as correct all Hong Kong experience being against them and in
any event it would take at least two years investigation to test
them. Further estimate of £10 per foot run is considered
far too low under the best conditions and with large electrical
and other establishment already existing on both sides of the
harbour requests for way leaves are unlikely. The difficulty
of constructing subway adaptable to requirements of tunnel are so
great that our engineers are satisfied that the 2 projects must be
kept distinct unless tunnel is constructed first on its own merits.
Work to date gives every reasonfor thinking
cheaper cross harbour pipe line scheme is feasible and it is certainly more economical and will provide water to island
much earlier than any other scheme. If the work is continued
uninterrupted it is possible to hope that the mainland water
will be available in the island during the next dry season
i.e. early 1930. Our engineers have every faith in the value of the scheme and are completing investigation(s).
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.