345
50. These great masonry drains were, and are still, necessary to carry off rain water; without them during heavy rainfalls the streets would be flooded and cut up into watercourses, but it was intended that on the completion of the separate system, no foul or noxious matters should enter these drains, so ill suited to carry them to the sea.
51. Now as to their misuse. Mr. DRURY, who has been in charge of the drainage and sewerage of the City during the past year, writes--
"I cannot report favourably on the condition of the storm "to me between th. and th of the city sewage still flows. "demned for this purpose, are entirely unfit for the conveyance
drains in which it appears These drains, already con- of any foul waters."
52. He then goes on to speak of the escape of gases through storm gullies," causing the bad smells occasionally complained of, and describes how he has found it necessary to carry up ventilating shafts from these storm drains, which, if not misused, would require nothing of the sort. Describing their misuse he says-
Having reported on the state of the storm drains generally, I will trace the manner "in which sewage enters them and suggest a remedy for the same. The Chinese throw "much of their sullage water into the street channels, this flows to an intercepting gully, "whence it should go to the sewers, but in the case of a blockage of this gully (a most "common occurrence) it overflows into the storm gully and thence into the storm drain "which it fouls.
53. One suggested remedy is that the maintenance of all sewers, storm drains and gullies should be under one control, instead of as at present divided between the Public Works Department and the Sanitary Board. It is now to the Scavenging Contractor's interest to allow sewage and rubbish to get into the storm drains and sewers when the work and expense of removing it falls ou the Public Works Department. Mr. DRURY thinks that if this department was responsible for the effective working of the whole of the separate system with a suitable staff of overseers for supervision better results would ensue. At present he can only hope that by prosecuting the scavenging contractor for permitting his coolies to allow garbage to block the intercepting gullies and pass into the sewers and storm drains, or still worse to dump rubbish direct into the storm drains, that in the end the contractor will find it cheaper to have his work done properly. In one case, lately tried in the Police Court, a fine of $50 was imposed on the Contractor.
54. It is clear, however, that the sewage system is not at fault, and that what occasionally leads to complaint is the improper use of the old storm drains.
55. Looking beyond minor details and to the general results of the great works carried out by Mr. COOPER under Mr. CHADWICK's advice, Victoria is undoubtedly a well drained City, the proof of which is the low death rate from zymotic diseases and the almost total absence of diptheria-the disease of all others clearly traceable to a bad system of sewerage.
56. The following are a few of the figures given by Mr. DRURY of work done in the year :
470 lineal yards of storm drain extended in the City.
89 yards in Kowloon.
43 yards in Shaukiwan.
Extension of Sewers.
2,565 lineal yards in Victoria.
1,459 lineal yards in Kowloon.
Lanes Concreted and Channelled.
9 lanes in Victoria.
7 lanes in Kowloon.
and nearly the whole of Wongneicbong Village.
House Connections, &c.
107 House connections with main sewers.
49 Disconnecting traps renewed.
57. A considerable amount of useful work was done in the preparation of plans for works on the New Praya Reclamation and elsewhere.
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