Sessional_Paper_1932 — Page 97

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of water would be so reduced that the necessity for restriction would never recur, or at least be a rare, instead of a normal, occurrence.

* * ** I therefore unhesitatingly recommend the introduction of meters in every case in which there is an internal house service.

11. In this report Mr. Chadwick repeated a suggestion made in his report of the 7th August, 1894, viz. that if restriction had to be adopted it would be best to shut off all unmetered house services, a supply being obtainable only from public taps tempor- arily erected for the purpose. "Only houses provided with meters would be allowed to retain a constant supply, and then a proper price for water would bring about the required economy. In connection with the difficulty in shutting off house services. due to the easy accessibility of the stopcocks, which could be easily opened by un- authorized persons, Mr. Chadwick now proposed that, as it would be many years before the occasional introduction of an intermittent supply could be avoided, an effort be made to render that system of supply generally less objectionable. He therefore suggested that house services, instead of being connected directly to the principal mains, be connected, in blocks, to subsidiary or rider mains of small diameter laid parallel to the principal mains, one on each side of the street. In this way the town could be divided into groups of blocks of convenient size, the water supply to which could be turned off and on, independently, in rotation. Thus No. 1 block group would receive water from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., No. 2 from 7 a.m. to 8 n.m.. and so on. The principal mains would always be charged, and metered services would thus enjoy a constant supply. Mr. Chadwick suggested the use of rider mains not for tenement houses only nor for any one section of the community but for all unmetered house services so that these might be readily shut off as soon as restriction became necessary and supplies had to be obtained from public taps.

12. Mr: Chadwick's report on the water supply of Hong Kong, dated 18th April, 1902, was published as Sessional Paper No. 20 of 1902. In that report he again em- phasised the importance of universal meterage in the prevention of waste. "I will again repeat", he wrote, "that the universal use of meters, coupled with an appro- priate price for water over and above a certain quantity, is the only efficient means of checking waste."

13. Following on Mr. Chadwick's reports of the 10th and 18th April, 1902, the Waterworks Consolidation Ordinance of 1902 was passed on the 13th August, 1902. the two Chinese Members of the Legislative Council dissenting.

14. This Ordinance provided-

Clause 5. "It shall be lawful for the Water Authority to disconnect the service to any tenement, and to refuse to reconnect the same unless the owner shall give an undertaking to pay quarterly to the Colonial Treasurer the amount due for excess consumption and for meter rent, as ascertained in accordance with the provisions of any Regulations made hereunder. If any owner declines or neglects to give such undertaking within a period of fourteen days from the date of notice in writing having been served on such owner by the Water Author- ity, or within such extended period as may be conceded by the Water Authority. it shall be lawful for the said Water Authority to disconnect the service of the said tenement as aforesaid: Provided that,

(1) In the case of any tenement house in the City of Victoria, the Water Au- thority shall disconnect the service within a period of fourteen days from the date of notice in writing having been served on the owner by the Water Authority, or within such extended period as may be conceded by the Water Authority, and shall refuse to re-connect the same, and shall also refuse to connect any new service unless such owner shall have obtained the previous consent of the Governor in Council; and

(2) In no case shall the Water Authority disconnect any service until in his opin-

ion there shall be established an adequate provision of public fountains.

15. Immediately after the passing of this Ordinance a petition, addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, was submitted by the Chinese community, object- ing principally to the above Section of the Ordinance. The petition, which was