Sessional_Paper_1903 — Page 375

290

Kerbing and channelling roads in Yaumati and

Mongkoktsui,

$6,925

Kerbing and channelling roads in Hung Hom and

Hok Ün,

1,626

City.

Completing roads in Bowrington District,

7,155

Retaining wall North of Belcher's Battery rendered

necessary by formation of streets,

4,152

Improving lanes in various parts of the City,

2,010

344

Kerbing and channelling Morrison Hill Road,

35. Extension of Gas Lighting-The chief extensions of lighting were in Conduit Road and Calder Path in the City and in roads in the newly-built areas of Kowloon.

36. Drainage Works, Miscellaneous.-The principal items of expenditure under this heading were the following:-

Construction of nullah in Cooke Street and Gillies

Avenue, Hung Hom,

$4,814

Construction of storm-water drain and sewer rendered

necessary by reclamation of Kowloon Marine Lot

49, Yaumati,

4,618

Diversion of storm-water drain in Hollywood Road at

its junction with Lyndhurst Terrace,

3,065

Extension of sewer to houses erected near the monu-

ment, Happy Valley,

1,388

Sewerage of Conduit Road,

1,270

Construction of sewer outfall opposite Queen Victoria

Street,...

1,123

Extension of sewer in Connaught Road, Central, for

houses on Marine Lots 10, 12 and 13,

837

Storm-water drain in Temple Street, Yaumati,

599

Sewer in pathway East of new German Club (Inland

Lot 1506),

522

Extension of sewer at Tsim Sha Tsui,

334

Sewer opposite Harbour Office,

306

A large amount ($8,505) was expended upon making small extensions of sewers and drains and constructing connections from new buildings; work of this nature being exceptionally heavy on account of the great number of new buildings erected.

37. Maintenance of Water-works, City and Hill District. The year 1902 will be a memorable one on account of the severe drought experienced during the early part of it; the subsequent heavy rainfall condensed into a period of about three months; and the necessity of again resorting to intermittent supply in consequence of the early cessation of the rains, the rainfall of September being the lowest on

record.

During the entire year a constant supply of water was maintained for 160 days only, the supply being intermittent for the remaining 205 days. The following were the periods of intermittent supply:-1st January to 24th May and 1st Novem ber to 31st December.

An account of the earlier stages of the drought having been given in last year's report, it is only necessary to repeat here that the contents of the reservoirs had been reduced to 146 million gallons on the 1st January. In view of the fact that the shrinkage in the reservoirs from 11th November, 1901, when the intermittent system was introduced, to the 1st January, 1902, was 95 million gallons, or at the rate of 13 million gallons per week, it became necessary to consider what further measures could be adopted, besides those already in force, in order to maintain a supply of water until the commencement of the rainy season. In order to econo- mize the supply remaining, the following steps were taken :—

(a.) On the 13th January, the hours of supply to the City were reduced

from 4 to 3 daily.

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