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The answer to the second part of the question is that there are two 1,000 gallon tanks centrally located in the resite area to which the Urban Services Department has been delivering 2,400 gallons of water every second day. The occupants of one section of the area have sunk a well and installed a pump and tank of their own by which they augment their water supplies. In addition private vendors are bringing in water in tanks mounted on a lorry which they sell at 10 cents a bucketful. The installation of a permanent system by the Water Authority will allow for 5 gallons a head a day when the supply hours are 4 hours daily. This scheme has been hindered by the lack of suitable pumps on the local market which have therefore had to be ordered from England. I understand that the Water Authority proposes to go ahead with the laying of pipes and erection of tanks immediately, so that there may be the minimum of delay in bringing the new scheme into operation once the pumps arrive in about four months' time. In order to reduce this delay, the Waterworks are trying to locate a suitable pump which can be used on a temporary basis. In view of the imminence of this improved supply, I believe little or nothing would be gained by attempting to improvise subsidiary arrangements on the lines suggested in the question. The Urban Services Department has now arranged for the delivery of water daily to this resite area.
The third part of the question relates to latrines. There are three sets of latrines in the area and no hut is more than about 160 yards from one of them. It is therefore, at the very outside, not more than 5 minutes walk to the nearest latrine. The distribution of the latrines is reasonable, but the number of seats is now slightly below the figure appropriate to the population of the area. The Urban Services Department has been informed of the need for about 4 more seats, and has undertaken to examine where these can best be located.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I rise to ask a supplementary question. May I ask the Commissioner, through you, whether anyone has investigated the quantity of water that can be bought from the water vendors and, if not, can an investigation be made to see that the water that can be bought is sufficient for human existence?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I am not aware of any such investigation having been made, but I should certainly be glad to carry one out.
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MRS. ELLIOTT:- I have another supplementary question. May I ask if the third latrine has been installed within the past two weeks, because two weeks ago the residents pointed out that there were only two latrines?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I am afraid I am not quite sure when the third latrine was installed, but it was certainly there a week ago and it did not look new.
MRS. ELLIOTT: :---- One more question. If another latrine is going to be installed, will it be possible to place it somewhere near the top of the hill?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: —A reconnaissance was to be carried out jointly between officers of the Urban Services Department and my Department either yesterday or today, and no doubt they will take your suggestion into consideration, particularly if it were put to them by residents of the resite area.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, reference was made by the Commissioner to water being brought in by lorry and sold at 10 cents a bucketful. May I ask the Vice-Chairman whether it would be advisable to check if this water is suitable for drinking purposes?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: This water if it has been obtained from a polluted source of supply would most certainly not be fit for drinking purposes, and I presume that warning is given to people living in these areas not to touch such water.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- If I may add to that, my understanding is that the water is drawn from a water main at the bottom of the hill below the resite area, and it is therefore unlikely to be polluted at all.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, how can the Public Works Department permit this commercial trafficking in water?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, as far as I am aware it does go on a great deal. One of the reasons for trying to get a pump there is so as to provide water to the people as soon as possible. In the meantime, I do not think they mind how it is obtained, so long as they get it.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I may add to that, Mr. Chairman. I believe the residents of the area made this arrangement themselves and the charge may be regarded more as a hire charge for the lorry than payment for the water.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Has the Commissioner for Resettlement in mind the question of eventually charging for water supplied by his Department?
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Page 173 of 194
328
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The answer to the second part of the question is that there are two 1,000 gallon tanks centrally located in the resite area to which the Urban Services Department has been delivering 2,400 gallons of water every second day. The occupants of one section of the area have sunk a well and installed a pump and tank of their own by which they augment their water supplies. In addition private vendors are bringing in water in tanks mounted on a lorry which they sell at 10 cents a bucketful. The installation of a permanent system by the Water Authority will allow for 5 gallons a head a day when the supply hours are 4 hours daily. This scheme has been hindered by the lack of suitable pumps on the local market which have therefore had to be ordered from England. I understand that the Water Authority proposes to go ahead with the laying of pipes and erection of tanks immediately, so that there may be the minimum of delay in bringing the new scheme into operation once the pumps arrive in about four months' time. In order to reduce this delay, the Water- works are trying to locate a suitable pump which can be used on a temporary basis. In view of the imminence of this improved supply, I believe little or nothing would be gained by attempting to improvise subsidiary arrange- ments on the lines suggested in the question. The Urban Services Department has now arranged for the delivery of water daily to this resite area.
The third part of the question relates to latrines. There are three sets of latrines in the area and no hut is more than about 160 yards from one of them. It is therefore, at the very outside, not more than 5 minutes walk to the nearest latrine. The distribution of the latrines is reason- able, but the number of seats is now slightly below the figure appropriate to the population of the area. The Urban Services Department has been informed of the need for about 4 more seats, and has undertaken to examine where these can best be located.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to ask a supplementary question. May I ask the Commissioner, through you, whether anyone has investigated the quantity of water that can be bought from the water vendors and, if not, can an investigation be made to see that the water that can be bought is sufficient for human existence?
COMMISSIONER for ResettlEMENT:—I am not aware of any such investigation having been made, but I should certainly be glad to carry one out.
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329
MRS. ELLIOTT:-I have another supplementary question. May I ask if the third latrine has been installed within the past two weeks, because two weeks ago the residents pointed out that there were only two latrines?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I am afraid I am not quite sure when the third latrine was installed, but it was certainly there a week ago and it did not look new.
MRS. ELLIOTT: :---- One more question. If another latrine is going to be installed, will it be possible to place it somewhere near the top of the hill?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: —A reconnaissance was to be carried out jointly between officers of the Urban Services Department and my Department either yesterday or today, and no doubt they will take your suggestion into consideration, particularly if it were put to them by residents of the resite area.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, reference was made by the Commissioner to water being brought in by lorry and sold at 10 cents a bucketful. May I ask the Vice-Chairman whether it would be advisable to check if this water is suitable for drinking purposes?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: This water
if it has been obtained from a polluted source of supply would most certainly not be fit for drinking purposes, and I presume that warning is given to people living in these areas not to touch such water.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-If I may add to that, my understanding is that the water is drawn from a water main at the bottom of the hill below the resite area, and it is therefore unlikely to be polluted at all.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, how can the Public Works Department permit this commercial trafficking in water?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, as far as I am aware it does go on a great deal. One of the reasons for trying to get a pump there is so as to provide water to the people as soon as possible. In the meantime, I do not think they mind how it is obtained, so long as they get it.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I may add to that, Mr. Chairman. I believe the residents of the area made this arrangement themselves and the charge may be regarded more as a hire charge for the lorry than payment for the water.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Has the Commissioner for Resettlement in mind the question of eventually charging for water supplied by his Department?
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