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By Colonel Brown.-With regard to the staff under the Building Ordinance, namely, one Executive Engineer, one outdoor Inspector and one Clerk, has that been considered in reference to the Building Ordinance before the Council, or with reference to the old Building Ordinance ?
A-It was considered with reference to the provisions intended to be inserted in the new Ordinance.
Q-And you are satisfied that that staff will be sufficient if the new Ordinance is passed ?
A-I recommended four out-door men, but afterwards, in discussion, the Governor in Council thought that three would be sufficient.
By Mr. Shewan.-With reference to this question of permits, Messrs. LEIGH & ORANGE wrote the other day complaining very bitterly that they could not pro- ceed with our new offices until the plans were approved. (See letter.*) Is that not a thing you would delegate to a subordinate?
A-Their plans involve a very special question. In designing the verandahs they have shown extra encroachments beyond what are usually sanctioned, and, in a case like that, I have to supply the Governor with full particulars when submitting the plans for his approval. I have to be careful to point out the exact limits of these en- croachments and refer to any other similar case, which has been formerly dealt with, to enable him to consider the matter properly. It is a serious matter to encroach on the public roadway, and if I simply sent the application forward for approval, as I would do in any ordinary case, I might be very severely blamed for it afterwards.
Q-Of course, if you were to go into every one of these questions personally, it seems to me you cannot get through the work. Could you not delegate that to any subordinate and ask him to report to you?
A-That I hope to arrange for in future.
Q-In regard to this schedule you drew up-City and Hill District Water-works -the work recommended in Mr. Cooper's report is not yet carried out.
Do you pro- pose to get it carried out now with your staff or do you intend to modify it?
A-It depends on what Mr. CHADWICK recommends now.
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Q-Is he going into the water question?
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A-Yes.
Q-As to Kowloon Reservoir; will that when it is built be enough for the popu- lation? It will be very little more, will it not?
A-It should provide for a population, according to the method of supply over there, of about 150,000 people, and I reckon that by the time it is completed there will be about 100,000 people there, so there is a good margin.
Q-It takes such a long time to complete another scheme, had we better not start at once?
A—I don't think there is any necessity for considering that immediately. In my letter forwarding the present scheme to Government, I pointed out that, by the time it was completed, it would be necessary to take other works in hand in order to keep up with the increasing population. That was my opinion.
* Appendix No. 24.
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