Although the total consumption of water in 1927 fs less than that in 1926, the maximum hourly demand is higher and it is for that have to provide. The land adming the north' compound at 'Yangtszepoo, purchased in 1926, has been utilized for the erection of 36 'Chinege houses and 7 shops which have "been leased to our Chinese staff.' The construction of the pump-house for No, 11 engine and two future engines with the necessary additional. boilers has been commenced and the extension to these offices has just been completed, Our total mileage of mains was on December 31, 1927, 160.91 miles.
Our Engineer-in-Chief and manager, Mr. Pearson, while on leave, on instructions from the Board, consulted leading waterworks engineers in the United States and in Great Britain as to our engineering policy and the maintenance methods pursued, both of which were fully endorsed by these competent authorities. I think it is fitting here to congratulate Mr. Pearson and his staff on such a satisfactory endorsement of his programme.—Our new continuous settlement and rapid filtration plant continues to give excellent results and our standard of quality has been uniformly high and compares favourably with the results of the London Metropolitan Water Board and other large water undertakings, At the time I last addressed you, we were beset by serious political and Labour troubles. Tam glad to say that, superficially at any rate, there ina very great improvement in the situation. For this we have to thank the presence of the defence forces of the various Powers and it a matter of satisfaction to us that we were able to assist the British forees in a small way by placing at their disposal land at Kinochow Road and Yangtszepoo for. the erection of camps. Since the strike of our Chinese employees at the Yangtszepoo pumping: station, to which T referred Inst year, I am glad to say we have had no labour trouble and T may add that our relations with our Chinese employees are now very satisfactory.
The New Agreement Gentlemen, it is with very rear pleasure that Tam able to announce to you that our new agreement with the Municipal Council, to replace that of July 1, 1905, was duly executed on March 17 this year.
Tt was so long ago as 1917 that negotiations to this end commenced and year after year your Chairman has had to report that negotintlons still proceeding and it was hoped would soon. reach. finality now at long last T can say that they are concluded.
The new agreement. of which copies will be sent to you. is for of 20 years from January at the end of that period, or of any successive period of 10 years, unless the Council has given notice of purchase two years before, it will be extended for a further riod of 10 years. Tt provides, inter alia, that the Council shall grant to the company alone, except in the ease of riparian owners for their own. requirements, permission to open roads for the purpose of laying mains and pipes for the supply of water; it defines the minimum pressure at which water under normal conditions is to he supplied by the company; it lays down a standard of purity which fs to be revised from time to time, and provides that the Council shall require water obtained from a well boring or from any other source and used for domestic purposes to come up to the same standard; it provides also that the company shall not be bound to supply water, except 2 standby supply, for domestic purposes to a consumer who obtains a supply for domestic purposes from 'a well boxing or other source, nor, except a standby supply for "nondomestic purposes to a consumer who obtains a supply for nondomestic purposes from a well bor
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.