HONG KONG
ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT
BY THE
QUARTERING AUTHORITY
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR 1957 - 58
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY W. F. C. JENNER, GOVERNMENT PRINTER
AT THE GOVERNMENT PRESS, JAVA ROAD, HONG KONG
EXCHANGE RATES
Where dollars are quoted in this Report, they are Hong Kong dollars. The official rate for conversion to pound sterling is HK$16=£1 (HK$1=1s. 3d.). The official rate for conversion to US dollars is HK$5.714= US$1 (based on £1=US$2.80) but a more realistic, though approximate, rate based on the local fluctuating open market would be nearer HK$5.90=US$1.
REQUISITIONING
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
CONTENTS
ACCOMMODATION (RESIDENTIAL) FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS:
Non-Departmental Quarters
·
Hotels
Hostels
Departmental Quarters
·
Private Tenancies
STAFF
Paragraphs
1
2 - 9
10
11
12
-
13 14
•
*
15
-
18 - 21
17
22 - 24
Table
TABLES
I. List of non-departmental quarters according to grades, as on 31st
March, 1958
II. Number of non-departmental quarters and estimated number of
officers eligible to apply for them on 31st March, 1958
III. Number of officers in hotels and hostels on 31st March, 1958
IV. Number of officers in private tenancies on 31st March, 1958
REQUISITIONING
REQUISITIONED property falls into the following categories:
(A) PROPERTY REQUISITIONED FOR GOVERNMENT'S USE
At the end of the year 1956/57 thirty three units were held under requisition; two units were de-requisitioned during the year; no units were requisitioned, making a total of thirty one units held under requisition at the end of the year under review.
(B) PROPERTY REQUISITIONED FOR THE ARMED SERVICES
A total of 171 units (lands and buildings) was held under requisition at the end of the previous year. These units were divided between the services as follows:
Premises
Land
Royal Navy Army
6
R.A.F. Total
65
19
90
79
2
81
6
144
21
171
During the year under review, forty four units were de-requisitioned on behalf of the armed services as follows:
Premises
Land
Royal Navy
6
6
Army R.A.F.
Total
14
19
39
5
5
19
19
44
Twenty six units, all land, were formally requisitioned on behalf of the Army. This action was taken with retrospective effect from 1st January, 1953 to enable compensation claims to be settled. These units were immediately de-requisitioned again. A total of 127 units is, there- fore, still held under requisition, divided between the services as follows:
Premises
Land
+
Royal Navy Army
R.A.F. Total
51
51
74
2
76
125
2
127
1
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
2. During the year there was considerable expansion in office accommodation held by various departments as well as movement by some departments into alternative accommodation.
3. Five floors of Fung House were leased to accommodate the following departments:
(a) Exchange Control, who moved from the Statue Square Huts,
which were being demolished.
(b) Inland Revenue, Stamp Duty Office, moved from Duddell Street
upon termination of the leace.
(c) Inland Revenue, Business Registration Office, moved from Fire Brigade Building to allow expansion of Commerce and Industry Department.
(d) Registrar General, Companies Registry and Trade Marks, Patents Registry, moved from Supreme Court Building to allow for expansion of Registrar General's Department.
(e) Medical Department, Port Health Office, Blood Collection Centre, moved from Statue Square Huts, which were being demolished.
4. Accommodation in Man Yee Building was leased for Rating and Valuation Department, which moved out of the Post Office Building to allow for the expansion of the General Post Office.
5. Upon completion of the new Public Works Department Building in Farm Road, Kowloon, the following departments were allocated office accommodation therein:
Postmaster General
Part of ground floor.
Registrar General, Births & Deaths Registry Part of ground floor. Public Works Department Urban Services
Medical
1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th floors. On 5th and part of 6th floors. Part of 6th floor.
6. The Registrar General's Department also expanded to take in additional accommodation for the Marriage Registry at the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Building, Mong Kok. The Births and Deaths Registry, previously housed in King's Building, was moved to Li Po Chun Chambers.
7. The Headquarters of the District Administration, New Territories, moved from Gascoigne Road to newly leased premises on the 5th floor of Shaw's Building, Nathan Road, Kowloon.
2
8. The Gardens Division of the Urban Services Department, moved into newly leased accommodation at Flat 3, Macdonnell House, No. 6, Macdonnell Road, in order that their previous accommodation at King's Building could be de-requisitioned.
9. The Quartering Authority's office moved from the Central Block of the New Government Offices, Lower Albert Road, into leased accommodation at Flat 18, Macdonnell House, No. 6, Macdonnell
Road.
ACCOMMODATION (RESIDENTIAL) FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS
NON-DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS
10. There were 494 quarters available at the beginning of the year. Only five quarters were acquired during the year under review and fourteen lost thereby resulting in a net loss of nine non-departmental quarters, making a total of 485 available at the end of March 1958. Details of quarters acquired or lost are as follows:
ACQUIRED
No. 111 Mountain View, 1st
floor, Hong Kong
1
'C' grade
Flats Nos. 8 & 10 Braga
Mansions, Kowloon
2 'CD' grade
Leased.
Reverted to non-depart- mental quarters from departmental quarters.
Flat No. 1, No. 6 Macdonnell
Road, Hong Kong
1 'CD' grade
Leased.
Flat No. 101, No. 56 Conduit
Road, Hong Kong
1 'D' grade
Leased.
Total ...
5
No. 2 Fortress Hill, Hong Kong No. 12 Lomond Road, 2nd floor,
Kowloon
LOST
1 'C' grade
Demolished.
1 'CD' grade
Lease determined.
No. 14 Lomond Road, 1st floor,
Kowloon
1 'CD' grade
Lease determined.
No. 270 The Peak, 1st floor,
Hong Kong
1 'CD' grade
Lease determined.
No. 32B Braga Circuit, Ground
floor, Kowloon
1
'D' grade
Lease determined.
Flat 4, No. 56 Conduit Road,
Hong Kong
1
'D' grade
Transferred
as
3
Police
Departmental Quarters.
No. 1 Fortress Hill, Ground &
1st floors, Hong Kong No. 1 Garden Terrace, 1st floor,
Hong Kong
No. 20 Austin Avenue, 4th floor,
Kowloon
2
'D' grade
Demolished.
1 'D' grade
De-requisitioned.
1 'E' grade
Lease determined.
No. 20A Austin Avenue, 3rd
floor, Kowloon
1 'E' grade
Lease determined.
No. 24 Austin Avenue, 3rd floor,
Kowloon
1
'E' grade
Lease determined.
No. 24A Austin Avenue, 3rd
floor, Kowlcon...
1
'E' grade
Lease determined.
Flat G, 'Courtlands', Hong Kong
1
'E' grade
Transferred to Police as departmental quarter.
Total
14
A complete list of non-departmental quarters available at the end of the year is given in Table I of this report, whilst Table II gives the number of non-departmental quarters by grades together with the estimated number of officers (by grades) who were eligible to apply for them.
HOTELS
11. The number of officers accommodated in hotels during the year under review is compared with the number of officers in hotels during the previous year in Table III. The decrease in the number of officers accommodated in hotels during the summer months was attributable to the seasonal exodus of officers on vacation and to the completion of a new block of Government quarters at Nairn House, Argyle Street, in March 1956.
12. The total cost of accommodating officers in hotels dropped from $1,154,053.40 in 1955/56 to $1,023,040.30 in 1956/57, but rose again during the year under review to $1,101,013.60. The rise in costs during the year under review was attributable to an increase in the number of officers to be accommodated and the increase in hotel charges.
HOSTELS
13. The Government hostel at Buxey Lodge which provides accom- modation for twelve single men was fully occupied throughout the year and there was a waiting list for admissions. The hostel for single women at The Hermitage, which provides accommodation for seven- teen, was not so popular and there were some vacancies during the year under review. A number of officers were accommodated of their
4
own choice in non-Government hostels such as the Y.M.C.A., Hong Kong Club, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Helena May Institute. Cherry Hill Lodge and the Church Guest House.
14. The number of officers accommodated in both Government and non-Government hostels at the end of the year is shown below:
Single Officers
Married
Total
No. of
Male
Female
Officers
rooms
Govt. Hostels Non-Govt. Hostels
12
15
27
25
6
2
1
9
10
Totals
18
17
1
36
35
DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS
15. Departments such as the Police Force, Medical, Urban Services, Civil Aviation, Public Works and Prisons have a large number of quarters allocated to them for the use of officers who, by the nature of their duties, have to reside in close proximity to their work. (Depart- mental quarters are allocated by Heads of Departments and not by the Quarters Allocation Committee). Of a total number of 3,686 depart- mental quarters of grades 'A' to 'L', the majority, 3,209, are for local employees in the grades 'H' to 'L'. The number of quarters allocated to each department at the end of the year were as follows:
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Department Civil Aid Services
Civil Aviation Department
Commerce and Industry Department
District Administration, New Territories
Education Department ...
Fire Brigade
Government House
Judiciary
Labour Department
Kowloon-Canton Railway
36 quarters
2
45
10
39
16
125
45
6
""
**
Marine Department
Police Force
4
197
34
465
1,674
55
>>
Post Office
11
"
Prisons Department
244
>>
Public Works Department
321
Resettlement Department
109
"
Royal Hong Kong Defence Force
3
55
Royal Observatory
21
...
"
Secretariat for Chinese Affairs
Social Welfare Department
Stores Department
Urban Services Department
1
12
"
ซึ่ง
297
5
""
16. The most marked increase since March, 1957 was in Police departmental quarters, which increased from 1,051 to 1,674.
17. In addition to the above departmental quarters most depart- ments had a number of 'barrack' type quarters for accommodating lower paid staff.
PRIVATE TENANCIES
18. The number of officers occupying private tenancies, i.e. quarters rented privately by officers in respect of which they draw an allowance from Government, decreased during the summer months when more Government quarters became available as officers proceeded on leave.
19. The majority of officers accommodated in private tenancies at the end of the year were married officers, a large number of them with families. Owing to the continuing shortage of Government quarters this system offers some relief, especially for married officers who would otherwise have to live in a hotel.
20. The cost to Government of subsidizing private tenancies during the last five years has been as follows:
Year
1953/54
1954/55
1955/56
1956/57
1957/58
Amount $402,641.24
$675,196.00
$785,175.66
$674,735.80
$622,954.85
21. Table IV shows the number of officers accommodated in private tenancies during the previous year and the year under review.
STAFF
22. Mr. H. R. J. Woulfe-Flanagan proceeded on vacation leave on the 28th March, 1958 and the writer assumed the post of Acting Quartering Authority with effect from that date.
23. Mr. P. G. Taylor was seconded from the Secretariat and assumed duty as Assistant Quartering Authority on the 24th February, 1958.
24. Mrs. C. M. Forrow, part time Confidential Assistant, departed on no pay leave on the 22nd January, 1958. Mrs. E. Whitley, part time Confidential Assistant, assumed duty on the 13th January, 1958.
1st August, 1958.
6
R. A. L. ELLERY, Acting Quartering Authority.
TABLE I
LIST OF NON-DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS ACCORDING TO GRADES, AS ON 31ST MARCH, 1958
GRADE 'A'
Address
No. of Quarters
Brief Description
152, 153, 154 The Peak (Homestead Houses)
3
6-room houses
157 The Peak, 'Homedale'
1
7-room house
275 & 276 The Peak
2
7-room houses
361 The Peak, 'The Bracket' 406 The Peak, 'Sailing Look' 407 The Peak, Severn Road 534 The Peak, Magazine Gap 556 The Peak, Middle Gap 557 The Peak, Middle Gap
1
5-room house
1 4-room bungalow
1
4-room house
1
6-room house
1
5-room house
申申
1
5-room house
•
Peak Mansions (Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 19,
21, 23 & 25)
12
5-room flats
...
Peak Mansions (Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16,
18, 20, 22 & 24)
12
4-room flats
Queen's Gardens (Nos. 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19, 21,
23 & 25)
10
4-room flats
Queen's Gardens (Nos. 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18, 20, 22,
24 & 26)
10
5-room flats
45 Shouson Hill
1
5-room house
57
Total
GRADE 'B'
Albany Flats (Nos. 1-5, 7-10, 12-14) 126 & 128 Argyle Street, 2nd floors
12 & 17 Branksome Towers...
12
4-room flats
2
5-room flats
2
3/4-room flats
2A Cornwall Street, Ground floor
1
5-room flat
2 Forfar Road, Flats Nos. 8 & 10 ...
2
4-room flats
16 Ho Man Tin Hill Road ..
1
6-room house
King's Park (Nos. 7-12)
6
4-room flats
150 A, B, C & 151 B & C, The Peak, (Homestead
Flats)
5
5-room flats
...
155 & 156 The Peak (Homestead Houses) 403 The Peak, Severn Road (Bottom & Top floors) 404 The Peak, Severn Road (Bottom & Top floors) 405 The Peak, Severn Road (Bottom & Top floors)
2
5-room houses
2
4-room flats
2
4-room flats
2
4-room flats
Peak Pavilions (Nos. 1-9 & 11) Queen's Gardens (Nos. 2 & 16) Queen's Gardens (Nos. 1, 3 & 15) White House, Tai Po
10
5-room flats
2
5-room flats
3
4-room flats
1
7-room house
55
Total
7
TABLE I-Contd.
GRADE 'C'
Address
No. of Quarters
Brief Description
126 & 128 Argyle Street (Ground & 1st floors) 165 Argyle Street (Ground & 1st floors) Braga Mansions (Nos. 4 & 6)
Burnside Estate (Nos. 1, 2, 9 & 18)
4
5-room flats
2
5-room flats
2
4-room flats
4
5-room flats
Burnside Estate (Nos. 11, 14, 19, 21, 22 & 24) Epworth Lodge (Nos. 1-4)
6
4-room flats
4
3-room flats
2 Forfar Road, (Flats Nos. 2, 3, 5 & 7) King's Park (Nos. 1-6)
4
4-room flats
6
4-room flats
Leighton Hill (Nos. 1, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 & 25) Leighton Hill (Nos. 2-13, 16, 18, 20, 24 & 26) 6 Macdonnell Road (Flats Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8 & 9) 106 Mountain View (Ground & Top floors) 107 Mountain View (Ground 1st & 2nd floors) 111 Mountain View, 1st floor
8
4-room flats
17
5-room flats
5
3-room flats
2
5-room flats
3
5-room flats
1
3-room flat
113 A Mountain View, 3rd floor
1
3-room flat
251 & 252 The Peak
2
3-room bungalows
Victoria Flats (Nos. 2 & 3)
2
3-room flats
Victoria Flats (Nos. 4 & 5)
2
4-room flats
97C Waterloo Road, Ground floor
1
5-room flat
76
Total
GRADE 'CD'
32 Braga Circuit, 2nd & 3rd floors
2
4-room flats
Braga Mansions (Nos. 5, 8, 9 & 10) Chater Hall (Nos. 26, 29, 56 & 59) ...
4
4-room flats
4
2-room flats
Chater Hall (No. 27).
Chater Hall (Nos. 28, 57 & 58)
2A Cornwall Street, Top floor (Flats Nos. 2 & 3) 19 Ho Man Tin Hill Road, Ground & 1st floors King's Park (Nos. 13-20, 23-31, 33-39, 41-48) Leighton Hill (Nos. 43, 44, 45 & 46) Leighton Hill (Nos. 63, 64, 65 & 66)
132
3-room flat
3
4-room flats
2
3-room flats
2
4-room flats
32
4-room flats
6 Macdonnell Road (Flats Nos. 1 & 6)
Nairn House (Nos. 18-20, 38-40)
270 The Peak, Ground & 2nd floors
44262
4-room flats
3-room flats 3-room flats
271 The Peak, Ground & 1st floors
262 Prince Edward Road
Ventris Road (Nos. 1, 4-14)
Victoria Flats (No. 1)
94, Waterloo Road, Ground, 1st & 2nd floors
Total
8
4-room flats
3-room flats
2
3-room flats
1
5-room house
12
5-room houses
1
2-room flat
3
4-room flats
87
TABLE I-Contd.
GRADE 'D'
Address
No. of
Quarters
Brief Description
32B Braga Circuit, 1st floor ...
1
4-room flat
Braga Mansions (No. 12)
1
4-room flat
Chater Hall (Nos. 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 38, 41,
44, 47, 50 & 53)
12
2-room flats
Chater Hall (Nos. 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 36, 37, 39, 40, 42, 43, 45, 46, 48, 49, 51, 52, 54 & 55) Chater Hall (Nos. 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 & 24)
21
4-room flats
7
3-room flats
56 Conduit Road (Flats Nos. 101, 102, 103, 104,
202, 203, 204, 304, 401 & 404)
10
4-room flats
'Courtlands' (Flats D, E, I & J)
4
5-room flats
Cox's Path (Nos. 1-6)
6
5-room houses
Leighton Hill (Nos. 49-62)
14
3-room flats
Leighton Hill (Nos. 29-42)
14
4-room flats
Nairn House (Nos. 3-12, 14-16, 23-33, 35-36)
26
4-room flats
Total
116
GRADE 'E'
6B & 6D Carnarvon Road
Chater Hall (Nos. 5, 32 & 35)
Chater Hall (Nos. 2, 4, 30, 31, 33 & 34)
Chater Hall (Nos. 1 & 3)
'Courtlands' (Flats B, C & H)
Leighton Hill (Nos. 47)
Leighton Hill (Nos. 27 & 48)
Leighton Hill (No. 28)
Nairn House (Nos. 1, 2, 21 & 22)
Nga Tsin Wai Road (Block C, Nos. 7A, 7B, 8A,
8B & 9A)
255, Prince Edward Road, Ground floor
Wongneichong Road (Nos, 99, 101, 103 & 105) Wongneichong Road (Nos. 97, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 121, 123, 125, 127, 129 & 131) .
1
23623-2-4
2-room flats
2-room flats
4-room flats 3-room flats
5-room flats
1
2-room flat
2
3-room flats
4-room flat
514
4-room flats
3-room flats 3-room flat 4-room houses
14
5-room houses
48
Total ..
GRADE 'F
6A & 6C Carnarvon Road ..
'Courtlands', (Flats A & F)
4 Hoi Ping Road, 2nd & 3rd floors
NNN
2
2-room flats
2
3-room flats
2
4-room flats
6 Hoi Ping Road, 3rd floor
1
4-room flat
12 Hoi Ping Road, 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th floors
4
4-room flats
3 Sunning Road, 2nd floor...
1
4-room flat
5 Sunning Road, 2nd & 3rd floors
2
4-room flats
Total
14
9
Address
TABLE I-Contd.
GRADE 'G'
4 Hoi Ping Road, Ground floor
14 Hoi Ping Road, 1st floor
No. of Quarters
Brief Description
1
4-room flat
1
4-room flat
2
Total
UNGRADED
7 Cornwall Street
9 & 11 Cornwall Street
1
3-room bungalow
2
2-room bungalows
2 Forfar Road, Flats Nos. 1, 4 & 6 Mount Nicholson (Nos. 1-12, 24 & 25) Mount Nicholson (Nos. 13-22)
3
11-room flats
14
2-room bungalows
10
3-room bungalows
Total
Grand Total...
30
485 quarters
TABLE II
NUMBER OF NON-DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS AND ESTIMATED NUMBER OF OFFICERS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THEM ON 31ST MARCH, 1958
Total
Estimated No. of Officers of
Grade of
Quarters
Govt. Property
Leased Requisitioned No. of
Correct grade *
Qtrs.
Married
Single
ABC
57
57
77
10
50
5
55
•
126
16
41
43
33
76
57
16
пър
CD
73
14
87
156
37
45
DE
104
12
116
156
80
եւ զ
47
1
48
72
27
49
F
G
10
14
23
26
2
2
13
7
Ungraded
30
30
Totals
408
77
485
680
219
54
Note: The number of officers shown includes those on leave but not those in departmental
quarters.
* Officers are, however, entitled to be considered for a quarter one grade above or below
their correct grade.
10
TABLE III
NUMBER OF OFFICERS IN HOTELS FROM 31.3.56 TO 31.3.58
Date
Single
Married
Married with Children
Total
31. 3.56
38
22
10
70
30. 4.56
38
18
13
69
31. 5.56
33
16
++
13
62
30. 6.56
35
18
9
62
31. 7.56
41
18
10
69
31. 8.56
52
16
9
77
30. 9.56
48
17
10
75
31.10.56
50
18
22
90
30.11.56
47
18
30
95
31.12.56
43
20
+
31. 1.57
45
220
17
80
19
17
81
28. 2.57
45
20
23
888
31. 3.57
39
15
17
71
...
30. 4.57
38
12
10
60
31. 5.57 ...
34
7
11
52
30. 6.57
30
11
5
46
31. 7.57
35
10
12
57
31. 8.57
32
11
20
30. 9.57
42
14
23
31.10.57
44
17
34
30.11.57
45
20
32
31.12.57
50
20
26
2 2 2 2 g
63
79
95
97
96
31. 1.58
56
24
26
106
28. 2.58
60
18
29
107
31. 3.58
58
23
29
110
11
TABLE IV
NUMBER OF OFFICERS IN PRIVATE TENANCIES
FROM 31.3.56 TO 31.3.58
Married
Date
Single
Married
with Children
Total
31. 3.56
15
10
44
69
30. 4.56
15
10
41
66
31. 5.56
17
10
42
69
30. 6.56
18
12
38
68
31. 7.56
15
13
36
64
31. 8.56
15
12
35
62
30. 9.56
14
11
34
59
31.10.56
12
12
33
57
30.11.56
14
14
31
59
31.12.56
15
14
31
60
31. 1.57
16
15
32
63
28. 2.57
16
17
32
65
31. 3.57
20
17
29
66
30. 4.57
20
16
26
62
31. 5.57
18
15
26
59
30. 6.57
17
13
31. 7.57
16
14
22
2 23
25
55
52
31. 8.57
16
14
19
49
30. 9.57
16
14
19
49
31.10.57 ...
17
14
19
50
30.11.57
20
15
26
61
31.12.57
21
16
27
64
31. 1.58
20
18
25
63
28. 2.58
21
18
28
67
31. 3.58
24
18
26
68
12