563453-1929-Minutes--No-9 — Page 3

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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, SEPTEMBER 6, 1929.

QUESTIONS.

6. The Hon. Sir HENRY EDWARD POLLOCK, Kt., K.C., pursuant to leave granted,

asked the following questions :---

1. With reference to the statement made by the Hon. Colonial Secretary, at

the last meeting of this Council, to the effect that

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'In connexion with the Dragon's Back West catchwater, a tem- porary channel dealing with over 150 acres of the area to be drained by that catchwater is being made and will be com- pleted this month, and such temporary catchwater is nearly one mile in length and will have a maximum capacity of ten million gallons per day";

will the Government (in view of the extreme importance of collecting into Tytam Tuk Reservoir as much rain-water as possible during the present rainy season) consider the advis- ability of promptly constructing other temporary catchwaters either from the Dragon's Back or Mount Parker or elsewhere which will drain yet further and larger areas in its neighbour- hood into that Reservoir?

2. With reference to the Hon. Colonial Secretary's statement at the last meet- ing of this Council to the effect that "two Engineers have already been asked for ", will the Government state on what date those two additional Engineers were asked for?

3. With reference to the following statements of His Excellency the Governor

at the last meeting of this Council,

We propose also without delay to carry the pipe-line across the harbour, a single pipe-line in the first place, because it is really in the nature of an experiment. We are not quite certain of the result, but we are all hoping that it will be a complete success. To construct two pipe-lines will commit the Colony to an expenditure which is unwarrantable in view of the many doubts which still hang over the scheme` ;

will the Government state

(2) What are the many doubts which still hang over the

scheme?

(ii) Is it not the fact that many pipe-lines have been successfully carried over the surface of the bottom of Burrard Inlet, Vancouver, at both the First and Second Narrows ?

(777) Will the Government communicate promptly with the Municipality of Vancouver, with the view of as- certaining by what methods that Municipality has accomplished the laying of pipe-lines across the said Narrows and whether those methods have been successful?

His Excellency the Governor—

Notice of these questions was given too late for them to be included in the Order of Business but as the matter is of considerable public interest I have authorised the Colonial Secretary to make replies.

The Colonial Secretary replied as follows :-

1. It is not considered economical to construct further temporary channels in the vicinity of Dragon's Back or Mount Parker. The channel now under construction is relatively easy and economical owing to the proximity of the principal stream to Tytam Tuk Reservoir. Any other channels constructed as suggested would have to drain into the present channel which has a maximum capacity of 10 million gallons per day. Their principal yield therefore would be lost by overflow and would not reach Tytam Tuk.

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