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special indulgence is to be shown it should be towards the unofficials and not the officials. The powers of the latter are so large that it is desirable they should be kept strictly within bounds, whereas the unofficials, having only the faintest scublance of rights and powers, night fairly be allowed a little latitude. It would be well, however, for the unofficials to make themselves ac- quainted with the rules and ask as few favours as possible.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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to Tytam, except that there the supply might be augmented by pumping from the stream which joins the Tytam stream below the dam. That, no doubt, would afford con- siderable relief, but would not place the colony beyond the risk of having to submit to an intermittent service during the winter months, for the population, it must be remembered, is rapidly increasing, and the increased demands for water for domestic and industrial purposes will soon So far as Mr. BELILIOS's question is overtake any moderate increase in the concerned, the hon. gentleman might per-supply and leave us in much the same haps contend that he was not really out position as at present. In his report on of order, because in the House of Lords the progress of the Tytam waterworks in members are not only allowed to introduce 1885, in which a complete history of the debatcable matter into questions but are water question was given, Mr. J. M. PRICE, also allowed to make a speech when asking the Surveyor-General at that time, stated them, as a reference to May on Parliament that the surveys made before the Tytam will show ; but the rule that prevails in the works were decided upon showed that there House of Commons is the more sensible one were only three valleys whence any winter and in legislative assemblies in the colonies supply could he caught and impounded in the usage of the lower house we believe is quantities sufficient to entitle such valleys generally taken as a guide rather than that even to consideration as possible sites for of the upper hous. If Mr. BijatIOs, instead | sources of supply. These were the 'ok of bringing the matter forward as a question, fulam, Aberdeen, and Tytam valleys. But had proposed a res dution on the subject, to this year's experience has shown that the the effect that in the opinion of the storage capacity at Pokfulam is nearly sulli- Council it Wit- desirable salt water cient and at Tytam more than sufficient forthe! should be used fæ fàshing the drains, he minimum rainfall and though at Tytam the would have been able to say all that he supply might be augmented by the means wished without affording the official side already indicated, it could not be increased any opportunity of closing his month by re- to an extent commensurate with the needs ference to parliamentary precedents. The of the colony, It is
increased sime remark applies to many of the Hon. | storage capacity al the
present T. H. WHITEHEAD's questions, the subject matter of which coal i he better dealt with
in the form of a resolution. The only objes tion to that course is that a question may be put independently, when as à resolutioni re- quires a secondèr, end Mr. Warrinnan often lims to fight single handed.
HONGKONGS WATER SUPPLY.
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servoirs that is required, therefore, but new sources of supply, and it is probable that before very long the facilities afforded by the Aberdeen valley will have to be niko n advantage of, though the supply there | is net so large as at Tytam and the low el va- tion of the bed of the valley places engineer ing difficulties in the way of leading the water into the town. Taking the most divourable view of the possibilities of fresh water supply, then, it would seem that the colony, with its rapidly growing population, mustalways be exposed to periods of starcity, when the intermittent service will have to be resorted to, thereby causing the drains to be cone alfonsive and leaving the city to a large exten at the megey of fire muless sea water he used. The building of tanks above the level of the city to which water could he pumped from the harbour, st as to afford a constant supply for drain flu-hing and fire extinction, wems therefore a very neressary work, un-
en present a
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munch
[December 19, 1895.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THE MILITARY CONTRIBUTION. Prior to the meeting of the Legislative Council on Saturday morning a meeting of the Finance Committee was held in the Connoil Chamber to discuss the question of the mili tary contribution, which had been postponed from the previous meeting in order to give the unofficial members an opportunity of further considering it. Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart (Colonial Secretary) presided, and all the mem- hers were present.
The CHAIRMAN-At the last meeting of the Finance Committee it was decided to recom- │mend all the items of the Appropriation Bill for 1896 with the exception of one, namely, the item Military Expenditure amounting to 849,215, and it was also decided to hold another meeting of the Finance Committee to- day order that the unofficial members of the Council might have an opportunity of ex- pressing their views on the subject of the military contribution. I shall be glad to hear whatever the unofficial members have to say on the point. I think it will perhaps suit your conveniende if I put the item to the vote. The. question is that the item "Military expendi- ture"--8440,215-be recommended to the Conn- cil. Those of that opinion say Aye "-(cries of “Aye" from the official members); those of the contrary opinion "No."
At the last meting of the Législative Council the Cobertal Sceretary, in reply to the Hon. E. R. Bruintos, stated that as at present nd the Government considers the cost of pamping sa water up to the higher level- for the purpose of washing out the drais prohibitive, and that, even if funds were available, it would be more advisable to use them for the purpose of] still further increasing the water supply from Tytamm or Pokfulam, a subject which is engaging the attention of the Giverument. | less Mr. Cooper With an adequate supply of fresh water
more favourable report of the possibilities of there would of cause he no object in pumping fresh water storage than Mr. Prier: dil. As up sen water for thushing purposes, but we for the question of funds, which the Colonial know that in the sea we have an mifiling Scenetary referred to, that might be met by supply, while it is tot so clear that the fresh the establishment of a Municipal Council, water supply can at any reasonable cost be which would find ways and means of curry so far increased as to place us entirelying out all necessary works. The saving beyond the risk of scarity. The storage capacity at Pokfulam might easily be in creased, but this year there has hardly been sufficient rain to fill even the present re- servoir. It may be said that on the doctrine of chances we need not expect another summer so dry as the last one for a long time to come, but on the other hand we might have a succession of such summers, and it is a maxim with water and drainage engineers that provision should be made for the extremes of the known data, that is, that the drainage system should be adapted to carry off the flood waters of the greatest known rainfall and that the water supply should suffice to carry
the consumers through the longest known drought. Increasing the storage capacity at Pokfulam, while affording relief in ordinary years, would be of little use in exceptionally dry years. The same considerations apply
that might be effected by dispensing with the services of a number of officials would go a long way towards paying interest on the expenditure, and if it becomes a ques tion of having sweet drains and protection from fire or a small army of highly paid officials there can be no hesitation as to the | choice that ought to be made.
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The Japan Bazzite referring to the battle of Trafalgar and the recent disaster to the Edgar's launch says: There was only one British warship in that splendid engagement which lost in action a greater number of men killed than the Edgar lost by this one accident. It will have to be classed with such fatalities as the sinking of the Eurydice, the Captain, the Royal George, and Victoria. The history of the British navy seems unfortunately to he replete with such episodes. War apparently is less deadly than the elements..
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Hon. C. P. CHATER-Sir, the question which is now before us is one that has engaged a good deal of our attention every year when it has been brought up. When it was proposed that the military contribution should be raised from 20,000 to £40,000 exchange was comparatively high and the amount to be paid in dollars by this colony was therefore not excessive, and consequently the vote was passed without much diffienity; but ever since then exchange has been steadily falling, and it only needs to look at the sums we have paid for the years between 1891 and 1895 to see how this burden has in- creased, a burden against which we have con- stantly protested. The result of our representa tions was that the Colonial Office agreed to re- consider the matter, the outcome of their de liberations being that it was settled that the Crown colonies should be called upon to defray this contribution by paying a certain fixed per- contage of their revenue. In the case of Singa pore and Hongkong the rate fixed was 17 per cent.
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1 far larger percentage than is expected from any other Crown colony, but even between these two there is a marked difference, inasmuch as in the case of Singapore the municipal revenue is ex- ompted from this tax, whilst in the case of Hong- kong it is proposed to include it. We have repre- sented this matter to the notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, but, I regret, apparent-
without avail, as will be seen from his des patch which is now before ns; and, moreover, we are given to understand that this vote must he passed to-day without any modification what- ever, whether the unofficial members like it or not by means of the official majority. Let me point out to yon, sir, that, though we have always maintained that the increased contribu tion of £440,000 was too large for the colony to afford, and that therefore we have been driven into debt to meet the expenses for what are essential to us. namely, our public buildings, and have further thereby been prevented from proceeding with the erection of other neces- sary buildings, some of which are urgently needed, yet now if we pay what is demanded of us, namely. 17 per cent. on our gross revenue, we shall actually be contributing more than the equivalent of £40,000 at the average rate of ex- change ruling this year. Thus this new plan, instead of decreasing our burden increases it, and it will grow far more onerons as the colony expands and our revenues are thereby augmented. Then again, Sir, with regard to the debts contracted, of which I have spoken, surely, as his Excellency justly pointed out in his despatch to the Secretary of State, it is only equitable that the first charge on the revenue we derive from the buildings we erected by means of these borrowed moneys should be their upkeep, the payment of the interest on the loans, and the formation of a sinking fund by means
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