Sessional_Paper_1921 — Page 71

67

C.S.O. 2800/14.

HONGKONG.

No. 8

1921

REPORT OF A COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER THE FEASIBILITY OF EXTENDING THE SYSTEM OF WATER CARRIAGE IN THE COLONY BY

PUMPING UP SALT WATER FROM THE HARBOUR AND THE

PROVISION OF SUITABLE PIPES THEREFOR.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, 1st September, 1921.

The Committee held six meetings and received the following reports from the undermentioned gentlemen, copies of which are appended :--

1. Head of Sanitary Department, on the question of the Night Soil Contract. 2, 3, & 4.

) Mr. R. M. HENDERSON, on the cost of installing Salt Water Supply

Systems.

J

5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Mr. E. NEWHOUSE, ou the question of the alterations required to & 10.

sewers to deal with an extension of the Water Carriage System.

11, 12, 13,

14, 15, & 16.

Mr. L. GIBBS, on the cost of providing Salt Water, and on the cost and the present and ultimate capacity of the City of Victoria and Hill District and of the Kowloon Water Works.

17. Extracts from previous reports on the question.

2. The Committee found it desirable to divide the populous parts of the Colony into the following districts:-

(1.) The Peak.

(2.) The Middle Levels, say 400' to 700′ contour.

(3.) The City below 400' contour.

(4.) Kowloon Point South of Gascoigne and Jordan Roads and the area between the Railway and Coronation Road as far North as the New Boundary Road, including Ho Mun Tin.

(5). Remainder of Kowloon District.

3. The Committee decided that districts (3) and (5) (Chinese Quarters of Hongkong and Kowloon) need not be considered, until the Water Carriage System, if it were decided to extend it, had been tried in the other areas. Their decision was based on the following reasons :---

(4.) That the areas in question were mainly taken up by Chinese tenement houses

whose occupants would not be likely to appreciate it.

(b) That drains and closets in these districts would be liable to become blocked. (c.) That the collection of fecal matter from these districts is the most valuable and the least expensive, most of the present revenue being obtained fromi them.