CO129-513-6 Hong Kong water supply- schemes for development and improvement 25-1-1929 - 2-8-1929 — Page 25

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My Lord,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG, 12th July, 1929.

RECEIVED

14 AUG 1929

ICOL.

In continuation of my despatch No.309 of the

21st June, I regret to have to report that the gravity of the

water situation in this Colony shows no abatement. The days of what is normally our wet season are slipping by with only

a fraction of the usual rain-fall, the total fall for the

year recorded at the Observatory being up to the 11th of July only 15.76 inches as against an average of 43.12 inches. Some rain has fallen during the last few days, but the bulk

of it, over 8 inches, fell in the New Territories beyond all

catchment areas, only fractions of an inch being recorded

over the island.

2.

The plan of campaign against this emergency on the island is to supply all levels, which can possibly be

reached by such methods, through a system of large tanks fed

from non-reservoir sources, i.e. by water brought in the

tanks of vessels arriving in this port from Shanghai and

other places, and by specially organized services from

independent supplies on the mainland and in the West River.

The higher levels will continue to be served from the Tytam

reservoirs, the natural supplies of which will be assisted

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LORD PASSFIELD,

by

&c.

&C.,

&c.