44
104
THE KOWLOON RESERVATION
QUESTION.
11
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
WATER STORAGE AND THE SANITARY BOARD.
[August 11, 1900.
THE CHINA RELIEF FUND.
(Daily Press. 7th August.) (Daily Press, 4th August.)
(Daily Press, 6th August.)
With regard to the Fund started in our The explanation of the Hon. R. D. ORMSBY,
The much vexed question of the storage of columns, at the suggestion of Mrs. Scort, President of the Sanitary Board, with re-sea-water at such levels as to enable it to the wife of Bishop SCOTT, of Peking, on gard to the Government's attitude in failing be used in the watering of our streets, for behalf of the relatives of sailors and soldiers to see its way at present to make a reserva- the present at least, may be considered as killed during the fighting in China, and for tion at Kowloon for a European district, will disposed of. The utilising of salt water for the assistance of those incapacitated from hardly satisfy the advocates of the scheme. óme municipal purposes, under certain further duty, we may state that as soon as a The Government may have great sympathy conditions, has its advantages, and has not sufficient sum is subscribed it will be for- with the Sanitary Board in this matter, but escaped the notice of our local water warded to the proper authorities for distri- this sympathy will not make up to the Board, authority. Our former D.P.W., Mr. COOPER,bution. Those authorities may be the Senior or the general public interested in the question had seriously taken the matter into consi- officers in North China, or a committee at of the reservation, for the continued lack deration, when evolving his great water- home, if one be formed, and it is conceivable of any reserved area. The statement that works scheme, and had arrived at the clear that public sympathy at home will neces the difficulties in reserving the particular conclusion that its cost greatly exceeded gitate the appointment of such a committee. area were greater than had become known that of fresh water obtainable by gravita- The public that gave so largely to the South to the public, though rather cryptic, must tion. Mr. CROOK, in a very recent report African Fund, we feel sure, will not hesitate be accepted; but it is therefore all the more
on this particular subject, showed that 158 to contribute on this occasion. Subscrip- urgent that steps should be taken without million gallons of fresh water could be made tions have not flowed in so generously as they delay to secure some possible area. Other- available for use in the city, at a cost of might have done, but this apparent apathy wise mysteriously insuperable difficulties $291,000; while the storage of 50 millions may be accounted for by the fact, which in- will bar the prospect of any reservation at of sea-water, for a similar purpose, would cost ¢identally we learn, that a similar Fund all. As Mr. McKIE said, it was a mistake roughly a third more. Mr. CROOK, as evi- was already in existence. We have not seen in the previous resolution to indicate one denced by his recent promotion, is a capable any public statement to this effect, which particular area, for to do so made the way man in his own sphere of work, and we might well have been forthcoming when our easy for a refusal. It will be noted that the have no reason to doubt the accuracy of his correspondent's suggestion was acted upon, reply of the Acting Colonial Secretary is calculations. The figures are instructive, but we readily welcome it, and we shall be. worded thus: After giving the matter and should be convincing to those lay people pleased to be placed in a position to state full consideration the Government does who seem wedded to the sea-water idea. As publicly more about it. We are told that a "not see its way to make at the present a long as we can get supplies of fresh water
certain balance, a pretty considerable sum, "reservation at Kowloon for a European more economically than harbour water, as
exists from a fund started during the “district "—not "the proposed reservation." long as the enlarging of existing reservoirs, last China War, and this money has This reply, pace Mr. ORMSBY, looks very or the building of subsidiary dams costs less since been idle beyond accumulating in- like "putting off or shelving the ques- than the installation of the needful appar- terest. It was recently suggested that this tion. Dr. CLARK, in moving that the atus for a salt-water system, so long must balance should be handed over to the South Board should again address the Govern- the latter be shelved. The storage capacity African Fund, but it was decided otherwise. ment, asking them to reconsider their decis- of the various collecting basins, in recent We are unfortunately not in a position to ion with regard to a European district re- years, has been very considerably added to. state how much the old Fund amounts to, servation, took the only possible course in The two great catchwaters, leading into the por do we know the person responsible for No doubt, the circumstances, and the Board in sup- Taitam and Wongueichung reservoirs re- the administration of the same. porting him showed their determination noe spectively, have largely augmented the now that the existence of this Fund is made to let the matter drop without a severt amount of water collected there not ao known, more definite information will be struggle. They want all the public support much during the rainy season, when water forthcoming. But we feel convinced that which can be given to them, and it is to be often flows to waste, as during the dry the old Fund will not be sufficient to meet hoped in the interest of the future welfare months of the year. Many streams that at the probable demands upon it, and conse- of Kowloon that the public will not hang one time used to run down the hillsides and quently it will require supplementing. This back. The Sanitary Board has a large ex- find their way into the harbour have been may be done by the public contributing to perience of uphill fights and deserves all the directed by pipes, and connected with differ- the new Fund started at the suggestion of outside help possible. It would be a short- ent aqueducts. Moreover, as Mr. ORMSBY Mrs. SCOTT. sighted policy indeed to accept as invincible tells us, the water-works scheme of our the non possumus attitude of the Govern- former D.P.W. is not yet completed, so that ment in this matter. All who be- the limit of fresh water collection has not lieve in the great future of Kowloon yet been reached. Of the three additional (and who with any foresight does not reservoirs included in Mr. COOPER's plans, do so f) cannot but see that this question one is to be begun this year, and the other of a European reservation is vital. Had it two in 1902-3. This is satisfactory. When been considered earlier it would have pre- these three auxiliary basins have been finish sented no difficulty. Now it is recognised ed, the scheme may be even further developed, as an extremely hard question. If matters as occasion arises. By that time, too, let are to be allowed to slide it will only be us fervently hope that the serious waste of capable of solution at a ruinous outlay of water continually going on in Chinese houses money. Instead of lamenting over the will have been checked. Natives certainly past neglect by the Government in the need education in this important respect. matter, the task before us is to press for If they cannot otherwise be induced to turn attention now, while it is possible to a off taps after use, they must be taught to certain extent to repair the past error. To do so by the infliction of fines before a Ma- get this attention all supporters of this im-gistrate. Unfiltered water from the hill -pératively necessary scheme must present sides, instead of potable water from the
an united front.
inains, has been put at the disposal of the Sanitary Board, in both Bonham and Caine Roads, for laying the dust in our thorough- fares. We are of opinion that more might be done in this direction. It is assuredly not much to expect that the Sanitary Board should use water-carts discharging sea-water got at the Praya-side for the watering of Queen's Road and the neighbouring streets and alleys.
80
The nomination of Mr. T. E. Earle to the vacant place on the Singapore Legislative Council, vice Mr. W. H. Frizell resigned, was somformed on the 27th ult.
At the a
annnal "Varsity Dinner" in Singa- pore on the 27th ult. the following were Sir Alexander Swettenham's guests:-Mr. Justice Leach, the Hon. W. R. Collyer, the Hon'ble W Napier, Mr. Ridley, the Rev. F. Haines, Mr. Elliot, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Sells, Mr. Wolff, Mr. Hingley, Mr. Laurie, Mr. Mariott, Hafa Ghulam Sawar, Mr. Nanson, Mr. Brad-
It appears from Australian papers that as soon as the success of British arms assured in South Africa, the steamers running from Australia to South Africa were filled with
dell, Lieut. "Col. Pennefather, Mr. Hallett, the Rev. D. Holland Stubbs, Mr. Fort, Mr. Arthur Young, and Mr. Bosanquet. Cam-third-class passengers endeavouring to make bridge was represented by 13 against Oxford's fresh start there.
9.
a
THE CRISIS: TELEGRAMS.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.]
SHANGHAI, 3rd August, 7.39 p.m. Consul Fraser, being much alarmed, løft Chungking yesterday with the British com- munity.
Yuan Shikai wires that at Peking on the 30th ult. the Ministers were well and in no distress. They had plenty of food. Relations with the Chinese were friendly, and they were conferring for the transfer of Ministers to Tientsin.
Two more Roman Catholic priests have been massacred in Northern Manchuria, where the Russians are entirely helpless and outnumbered.
The Soochow treasurer is sending a large remittance to Peking,
SHANGHAI, 5th August, 7.41 p.m. Admiral Seymour has returned from Nanking after a very friendly interview with Viceroy Liu Kung-yi.
The new expedition to Peking is no walk- over. Tientsin is still surrounded by hos- tile Chinese, and serious efforts are 'being made to check the advance.
Two friendly Tsungli Yamen Ministers, Hsu Ching-cheng and Yuan Chang, have had their heads taken off at Peking.
Ti Hung-chang, the Yangtze Viceroys, and Sheng, are all expecting a decree degra- ding them from their posts.
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