KONGE
ANNUAL
DEPARTMENTAL
REPORTS
1958-59
PRICE: $4.50
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
ANN
D
HONG KONG
ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT
BY THE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR 1958-59
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY S. YOUNG, Acting Government PRINTER
at the Government Press, Java ROAD, HONG KONG
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EXCHANGE RATES
When dollars are quoted in this Report, they are, unless otherwise stated, 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 U.S. dollars is HK$5.714=US$1 (based on £1=US$2.80).
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GENERAL Staff
CONTENTS
Paragraphs
1
2
·
3 9
Training
10 - 12
Visitors during the Year
13 - 23
ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE
General
24 - 25
Educational Buildings
26 31
Medical Buildings
32 - 38
Urban Services Department and Public Buildings .
39 - 45
Offices and Quarters
46 - 50
Police Buildings
51 - 54
Prisons Department Buildings
55 - 56
Fire Brigade Buildings .
57 - 59
Post Office Buildings
60 - 61
Resettlement Buildings .
62 - 76
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous Maintenance
Works carried out by Private Architects
BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE
CROWN LANDS AND SURVEYS OFFICE
General
77 79
www
80 - 81
82 - 87
88 - 110
111 113
·
114 - 131
Land
Planning Survey
·
Drawing Office
DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
DRAINAGE OFFICE
General
Resettlement (Domestic and Industrial) and Housing
Development
Nullah Decking and Reconstruction
Disposal Works, Intercepting Sewers and Screening
Plants
Private Works
132 - 140
141 - 155
156 - 162
163
165
166 168
169 - 170
171
172 178 179
i
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EXCHANGE RATES
When dollars are quoted in this Report, they are, unless otherwise stated, Hong Kong dollars. The official rate for conversion to pound sterling is HK$16 £1 (HK$1=ls. 3d.). The official rate for conversion to U.S. dollars is HK$5.714=US$1 (based on £1=US$2.80).
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GENERAL Staff
Training
Visitors during the Year
CONTENTS
Paragraphs
1
-
2
3 9
10 12
-
13 - 23
ARCHITECTURAL Office
General
24
-
25
Educational Buildings
26 - 31
Medical Buildings
32 - 38
Urban Services Department and Public Buildings .
39 - 45
Offices and Quarters
46 - 50
Police Buildings
51 54
Prisons Department Buildings
55 - 56
Fire Brigade Buildings.
57 - 59
Post Office Buildings
60 - 61
Resettlement Buildings .
62 - 76
Miscellaneous
77 - 79
Miscellaneous Maintenance .
80 - 81
Works carried out by Private Architects
82 - 87
BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE
88 - 110
CROWN LANDS AND Surveys Office
General
111
113
Land
114 - 131
Planning
132 - 140
Survey.
141 - 155
Drawing Office
156 - 162
DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
163 - 165
DRAINAGE OFFICE
General
166 - 168
Development
Resettlement (Domestic and Industrial) and Housing
Nullah Decking and Reconstruction
Disposal Works, Intercepting Sewers and Screening
Plants
Private Works
171
172 - 178 179
169 - 170
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:
ELECTRICAL and Mechanical Office
General
Paragraphs
180 182
Mechanical Section
183 - 198
Electrical Section.
199 - 205
•
Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Section
206 - 210
PORT WORKS OFFICE
General
Maintenance
New Constructions
Miscellaneous
Materials Testing Laboratories
211
.
212 - 215
. 216 - 227
228
-
230
231
235
ROADS OFFICE
General
City Roads, Victoria
Island Roads, Outside City Limits
Kowloon Roads
*
New Territories Roads .
Bridges and Subways
Traffic
Street Lighting
236 - 241
242
245
246
249
250 - 252
253 - 259
260 265
266 - 271
272 - 273
274 - 278
Quarries
WATERWORKs Office
General
Maintenance and Distribution Supply
New Constructions
KAI TAK AIRport DeveloPMENT
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES
EXPENDITURE
REVENUE
STAFF WELFARE
APPRECIATION
279
280 - 281
. 282 - 312 . 313 - 330
331
335
336 - 338
339
340
341
342
347
348
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GENERAL
THIS report covers the activities of the Public Works Department for the financial year ending 31st March, 1959.
2. Nine sub-departments under the direction of the Headquarters staff carried out the operations of the Department.
3.
STAFF
HEADQUARTERS
Director-Hon. A. Inglis, A.M.I.C.E.
Deputy Director-Mr. H. W. Forsyth, B.E., A.M.N.Z.Inst.E., M.I.C.E. Assistant Director, Buildings-Mr. A. M. J. Wright, A.R.I.B.A., F.R.I.C.S.
Engineering-Mr. W. A. Johnson, M.I.Mun.E., A.R.I.C.S.
•
Development-Vacant.
Secretary-Mr. E. L. Strange.
Chief Accountant-Mr. T. P. Styles.
Architectural Office: Chief Architect
Assistant Chief Architects
Buildings Ordinance Office:
Chief Building Surveyor Assistant Chief Building
Surveyors
SUB-DEPARTMENTS
Crown Lands & Surveys Office: Superintendent of Crown Lands
& Surveys Assistant Superintendent of
Surveys
Assistant Superintendent of
Crown Lands (Planning) Assistant Superintendent of
Crown Lands
Development Office:
Assistant Director of Public
Works
Mr. G. P. Norton, A.R.I.B.A. Mr. J. C. Charter,
A.R.I.B.A.
Arch.Assn.Dip.,
Mr. J. T. Mallorie, Dip.Arch. (L'pool),
A.R.I.B.A., A.M.T.P.I.
Mr. R. Fairbairn, A.R.I.C.S., M.R.S.H. Mr. P. V. Shawe, A.R.I.C.S., M.R.S.H. Mr. G. Thomson, A.R.I.B.A.
Mr. J. E. Richardson, O.B.E., F.R.I.C.S.
Mr. C. S. Barron, M.B.E., A.R.I.C.S.
Mr. R. H. Hughes, M.A. (Cantab.),
A.R.I.C.S.
Mr. R. C. Clarke, B.Sc., LL.B. (Lond.), D.P.A. (Lond.), A.M.I.Min.E., A.R.I.C.S.
Vacant.
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Drainage Office:
Chief Engineer
Assistant Chief Engineer Electrical & Mechanical Office: Chief Electrical & Mechanical
Engineers
Port Works Office:
Chief Engineer
Roads Office:
Chief Engineer
Waterworks Office:
Waterworks Engineer
Assistant Waterworks Engineers
Mr. E. P. W. Morgan, B.Sc., A.M.I.C.E..
A.M.I.W.E.
Mr. J. Alexander, B.Sc. (Eng.), A.M.I.C.E.
Mr. J. C. Brown, B.Sc. (Edin.), M.LE.E..
M.I.Mech.E.. (until 22.1.58).
Mr. D. W. Walker, B.Sc. (Eng.), A.M.I.E.E..
M.I.Mech.E.
Mr. J. J. Robson, M.I.C.E., A.M.I.Struct.E.
Mr. F. A. Fisher, B.Sc.. LL.B., A.M.I.C.E.
Mr. T. O. Morgan, B.Sc., A.M.I.C.E. Mr. C. I. Wilks, A.M.I.C.E., M.I.W.E. Mr. A. W. P. Cox. A.M.I.C.E..
A.M.I.Mun.E.
4. The following senior officers went on or returned from long leave:
Mr. H. W. Forsyth, Deputy Director
Mr. W. A. Johnson, Assistant Director (Engineering) Mr. J. C. Brown. Chief Electrical & Mechanical Engineer
prior to
Mr. J. E. Richardson. Superintendent of Crown Lands & Surveys retirement Mr. C. S. Barron, M.B.E., Assistant Superintendent of Surveys
Mr. R. H. Hughes, Assistant Superintendent of Crown Lands (Planning) Mr. R. C. Clarke, Assistant Superintendent of Crown Lands
Mr. J. J. Robson, Chief Engineer
Mr. A. W. P. Cox, Assistant Waterworks Engineer
Mr. J. C. Charter, Assistant Chief Architect
5. The following officers carried out acting duties in senior posts as indicated:
Mr. A. M. J. Wright as Director and also as Deputy Director
Mr. W. A. Johnson as Deputy Director
Mr. G. P. Norton as Assistant Director (Buildings)
Mr. J. T. Mallorie as Chief Architect
Mr. J. C. Charter as Chief Architect
Mr. W. E. Levie as Assistant Chief Architect
Mr. H. Ross as Assistant Chief Architect
Mr. E. P. W. Morgan as Assistant Director (Engineering)
Mr. J. J. Robson as Assistant Director (Development)
Mr. K. B. Baker as Chief Electrical & Mechanical Engineer
Mr. A. R. Giles as Assistant Superintendent of Surveys
Mr. W. L. T. Crunden as Assistant Superintendent of Crown Lands Mr. Andrew Mar as Chief Engineer
Mr. J. Alexander as Chief Engineer
Mr. V. D. Rumianzeff as Assistant Waterworks Engineer
Mr. J. M. Pettigrew as Assistant Waterworks Engineer
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6. The following promotions or postings to senior posts took place during the year:
Mr. C. S. Barron, M.B.E.. Superintendent of Crown Lands & Surveys Mr. D. W. Walker, Chief Electrical & Mechanical Engineer
Mr. A. W. P. Cox, Assistant Waterworks Engineer
Mr. A. R. Giles, Assistant Superintendent of Surveys
7. The expatriate staff of the department numbered 215, an increase of 33, and the non-expatriate staff 4,351. Staff totalled 5,734 against an authorized establishment of 6,029. The number of daily rated artisans and labourers averaged 1,168 and the transfer of this class of employee from daily pay to monthly pay was continued.
8. Some slight improvement took place in the recruitment of expatriate staff but various vacancies still remain unfilled and the posi- tion cannot as yet be considered satisfactory.
9. Total expenditure by the Department amounted to $201,004,000 compared with $174,614,000 for the previous year. A break-down of departmental expenditure over the last ten years is presented in para- graph 340 of this report.
TRAINING
10. In furtherance of the policy of providing training facilities for artisans and young professional engineers an additional sixteen youths between the ages of fifteen and seventeen signed agreements whereby they will be given a sandwich course of instruction over a three year period in the waterworks or mechanical workshops and the Technical College. This brought the total number of craft apprentices up to fifty five.
II. The indenture of twelve engineering graduates from the Hong Kong University to the Director on behalf of the Institution of Civil Engineers assisted them in gaining practical experience leading to Associate Membership of the Institution. Six architectural graduates of the University were also appointed as Apprentice Architects, and posted to the Architectural Office, to assist them in gaining practical experience leading to their becoming registered as Authorized Architects under the local Buildings Ordinance, 1955.
12. During the summer vacation six Hong Kong University engineer- ing students were attached to various sub-departments for training and two architectural students to the Architectural Office.
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VISITORS DURING THE YEAR
13. His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited the Colony from 6th to 8th March, 1959, in the course of his World Tour and laid the Foundation Stone of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at King's Park on the afternoon of Saturday, 7th March, 1959.
14. At the invitation of the Hong Kong Government, Dr. G. Charlesworth, Head of the Traffic and Economics Section of the Traffic and Safety Division of the Road Research Laboratory in the United Kingdom, visited the Colony from 29th May to 26th June, 1958 to investigate and advise Government on improvements to the Colony's traffic system.
15. During his visit to the Colony in June 1958, Mr. D. E. E. Gibson, Director General of Works, the War Office, paid a visit to the Depart- ment to familiarize himself with the following:
(1) P.W.D. Organization in Hong Kong.
(2) Method of planning new works.
(3) Most suitable types of civilian construction.
16. Mr. F. A. Allen, Director, Hydraulics Research Station, Walling- ford, visited the Colony from 30th June to 8th July, 1958, in connexion with the model being made of the Hong Kong harbour for the study of the effects of reclamations and piers on tidal currents.
17. During July Mr. J. M. Fraser, C.B.E., Chairman of the Singapore Improvement Trust, visited the Colony to see Housing Schemes in the Colony as well as the work of the Hong Kong Housing Society here.
18. Three audit examiners from North Borneo paid a visit during July and August to study accounting methods and equipment here and in the course of their visit called at the accounts section of the Water- works, Buildings, Electrical, Mechanical, and Roads Branches.
19. On the 22nd November, the Hon. Inche Sardon bin Haji Jubir. Minister for Works, Post and Telecommunications, Federation of Malaya, en route between Tokyo and Saigon, paid an unofficial visit to Public Works Department Headquarters.
20. In the course of his liaison tour of British Territories in South East Asia, Mr. F. H. P. Williams of the Colonial Section, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Road Research Laboratory, spent four days in the Colony in November in connexion with road construc- tion and soil stabilization, etc.
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21. Mr. W. I. J. Wallace, C.M.G., O.B.E., Head of the Far Eastern Department, Colonial Office, visited Hong Kong from 5th to 11th January, 1959, during which period he toured the Colony and visited Government establishments, various Public Works Department projects including the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir.
22. Dr. The Right Hon. Charles Hill, P.C., Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster, accompanied by Mr. Harold Evans, C.M.G., O.B.E., Public Relations Adviser to the Prime Minister, visited the Colony from 17th to 19th January, 1959, and in the course of his tour, visited Tai Lam Chung Reservoir.
23. Brig. M. Hotine, C.M.G., C.B.E., Director of Overseas Survey and Adviser on survey matters to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in the course of his inspection tour of Colonial and Commonwealth establishments in the Far East and the Pacific paid a liaison visit in March 1959, when he toured the Colony and visited a number of Government departments, to acquaint himself with the work of the Crown Lands and Surveys Office of the Public Works Department.
ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE
Chief Architect, G. P. Norton, A.R.I.B.A.
Assistant Chief Architects, J. C. Charter, A.R.I.B.A.
J. T. Mallorie, A.R.I.B.A., A.M.T.P.L Senior Quantity Surveyor, A. F. Evans, A.R.I.C.S. Senior Structural Engineer, A. E. Claassen, M.I.Struct.E.
GENERAL
24. The Architectural Office staff is 300, including those in the electrical section but excluding watchmen. As in previous years, the work of the office consisted of the design and construction of new Government buildings; alterations and additions to existing buildings; the main- tenance of all Government buildings; and supervision of the construction and maintenance of private schools receiving Government grants in aid. With Public Works Department Headquarters, the office also acted as the liaison with private architects commissioned to carry out new build- ings for the Government.
25. Expenditure on new works by the Architectural Office amounted to approximately $41,000,000 including $20,160,000 on Resettlement Estates while a further $8,150,000 was expended on new Government buildings by private architects. Approximately $5,660,000 was spent on maintenance, alterations and additions to existing buildings.
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Primary Schools
EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS
26. Two years ago, working drawings were prepared for standard Government primary schools which, with minor modifications, could be built on suitable sites of about 24,000 square feet. Each school, which provides accommodation on the ground and four upper floors for 1,080 children in one session, contains twenty four classrooms and three practical rooms, covered assembly and play space at ground floor level, together with an open basket-ball court, additional roof play area and changing rooms, staff rooms, etc.
27. The second of such schools, at Li Cheng Uk, was completed while the third at Cheung Hong Street is well advanced. Building work started on five other such schools which are in various stages of progress at Shek Kip Mei, Wong Tai Sin, Sycamore Street, Kwun Tong and Tong Mei Road.
28. The Director of Education has now decided that thirty-classroom schools are feasible, and because of the difficulty of obtaining suitable sites, desirable. Accordingly, revised sketch plans of the standard twenty- four-classroom school have been prepared which, by the addition of a further floor, and other changes, provide the required accommodation on a site of approximately 22,000 square feet. Working drawings are now in course of preparation for the first of the thirty-classroom schools, which is to be built at Lo Fu Ngam.
Technical College: Keswick Hall
29. The construction of Keswick Hall was completed. The building provides a multi-purpose auditorium and stage to accommodate about 725 persons, together with a foyer with staff room over, and a dining hall and kitchen; it is designed to allow for the enlargement of the dining hall and the addition of students' common rooms.
King's College Extensions
30. Construction work started on an extension to provide seven additional classrooms, a geography room, an art room, a library, three laboratories and other minor accommodation.
Northcote Training College
31. Sketch plans were approved and working drawings commenced for this new college at Pok Fu Lam which is to replace the existing college at Bonham Road. The scheme consists of three main buildings the largest of which includes administrative offices, staff rooms, teaching
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and lecture rooms for general and special subjects such as woodwork, handicraft, pottery, domestic science, nature study, music and art. A library and reading room are also provided. The second building includes an assembly hall for 600 and a gymnasium with changing rooms common to both, together with a dining hall for 250 and kitchen. The hostel building provides residential accommodation for male and female students, common rooms, flats for four wardens and their families and quarters for menial staff.
Castle Peak Hospital
MEDICAL BUILDINGS
32. The first stage of this scheme, which consisted of a Chronic Block and staff quarters, was completed early in 1957. Towards the end of the year a contract was signed for Stage II of the project which provided complete hospital facilities for 500 mental patients, together with various categories of medical staff quarters. The scheme had been planned for final extension to a 1,000-bed hospital, but soon after signing the contract, instructions were received to proceed with the full scheme, including the additional staff quarters required, as a variation to the existing contract. Thus, while building proceeds, the architects, engineers and quantity surveyors are busy with the drawings and quantities for the additional buildings required, many of which will be similar to those already included in the contract.
33. In accordance with the present day trend in schemes of this nature, the hospital buildings have been limited to no more than two storeys and the staff will be accommodated in houses and relatively small blocks of other quarters. This fits in well with the rural nature of the Castle Peak district and provides a welcome change from the large buildings which tend to characterize present day architecture in the Colony. In all, therefore, the project includes some 36 separate buildings which fall roughly into three groups, namely, the hospital buildings, the senior medical staff quarters and the junior staff quarters.
34. The hospital buildings comprise :
Administration Block, including operating theatre:
Services Block with central kitchen, laundry, laboratories and occupational
therapy rooms:
Concert hall for approximately 500;
One male and one female admission block with admission ward, private,
insulin, sick and convalescent wards:
Two male and two female chronic ward blocks:
One male and one female refractory ward block;
Mortuary.
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Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Quarters
(Formerly known as the Kowloon General Hospital)
35. On Saturday, 7th March, 1959, during his short visit to the Colony, H.R.H. the Prince Philip laid the foundation stone of the hospital building which Her Majesty the Queen has graciously consented shall be named after her. His Royal Highness inspected a model of the whole scheme, and saw that piling for the hospital foundations had begun while, in the western section of the site, work had just been started on the superstructure of the Sisters' and Nurses' Quarters. This building will provide accommodation for 18 senior sisters, 96 sisters and 450 nurses, with training facilities for 150 nurses.
36. The hospital is designed as a single 13-storey block with pro- jecting wings and will provide about 1,320 beds. The Surgical Unit on the east side will contain 31 wards with 18 operating theatre suites, while the Medical Unit on the west side will contain 21 wards and children's wards with a small operating theatre suite. The ground and first floors contain the specialist departments of Radiology, Physiotherapy, Pathology, the Central Sterile Supply and Blood Bank and the Casualty Reception, together with administrative offices, kitchens, staff canteens, laundry, services and supplies.
37. Steady progress has been made on the working drawings for the hospital. The architectural consultants for the scheme are Messrs. Easton and Robertson of London, who prepared sketch designs for the hospital and the layout of the whole site, and who are maintaining close contact with this office as the project develops.
Kowloon Hospital (Old)
38. Tenders for two separate contracts had been invited by the end of the year; one for the construction of a new three-storey theatre and ward block which will provide two major and two minor operating theatres and wards for 70 additional beds, and ancillary accommodation; the other for a single storey, 36-bed maternity ward.
City Hall
URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS
39. Mention of this project has appeared in many previous reports. Working drawings are substantially complete, bills of quantities are in course of preparation, and piling tenders have been invited.
40. The buildings, which are to be erected on the waterfront of the central reclamation of Victoria, will provide a concert hall for 1,500
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Model of the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Keswick Hall, Technical College.
TECHNICAL COLLECE
LLILISZ LAL
Factory buildings and a workers accommodation block on the first 100 acres of reclamation for the Kwun Tong satellite town.
The new 8,500 ft. Kai Tak runway opened in August. 1958.
and a theatre for 474. These units are linked by the entrance foyer, dance hall and banqueting hall. A garden courtyard with an elevated promenade links the main group of buildings with a taller block, eleven floors in height, which will contain the marriage registry, library, museum, art gallery, exhibition rooms, lecture and committee rooms.
City Hall Car Park
41. The second and smaller of the two 3 tiered car parks was completed. This, with the tiered car park already in use, will contribute about 600 parking spaces to the central area.
Crematorium in the Cape Collinson area
42. Apart from obtaining details of plant required, little progress has been made on this scheme owing to shortage of staff, though a start has been made on working drawings. The buildings will provide cremation facilities together with three separate chapels or pavilions for Chinese, Indian and Christian ceremonies, and a columbarium leading to a Garden of Remembrance which is to be arranged and planted by the Gardens Division of the Urban Services Department. Separate quarters for the crematorium staff are also to be provided.
Urban Services Department Canteen
43. This building at Gin Drinker's Bay, providing canteen and toilet facilities for Sanitary Division staff, has been completed.
Parks, Playgrounds and Gardens
44. The Refreshment Kiosk for Victoria Park had reached the tendering stage; tenders were invited for the grandstand and changing rooms at Southorn Playground; work was completed on improvements at the So Kon Po Stadium, on playgrounds and rest gardens at Bowen Road Recreation Ground and Argyle Street and in Resettlement areas at Li Cheng Uk, Shek Kip Mei and Tai Hang Tung, while sketch plans were prepared for a number of others.
Latrines and Bathhouses
45. Public latrines and bathhouses have been completed at Tsim Sha Tsui, Shau Kei Wan, Kwun Chung Street, Harlech Road and Tsuen Wan; construction is proceeding on two more, drawings are at various stages for a further seven and major alterations and improvements are being planned for six existing buildings.
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OFFICES AND QUARTERS
Central Government Offices
46. Owing to some unavoidable delays the West Wing, which is the final stage of this scheme, had not been completed by the end of the year as had been anticipated, but approached completion. The building, which will provide accommodation for a number of Government depart- ments, is on a steeply sloping site so that it is six floors high at one end and thirteen floors high at the other end. The scheme incorporates an underground car park for about 140 cars.
Government Stores, North Point
47. Construction of this ten-storey block for the Government Stores Department was completed, providing a total of 117,000 square feet of floor area. The ground floor is for open storage, the first and second floors for furniture workshops, the third to seventh floors for Govern- ment Stores. the next floor contains airconditioned offices and the top floor houses the staff canteen and plant rooms. Two heavy service goods lifts facilitate the movement of stores. Drawings for the replanning of the pharmacy laboratories in the existing Stores buildings were also completed.
Alterations and Additions to Offices
48. Alterations and additions have been carried out to existing offices and accommodation at the Supreme Court, the General Post Office Building, Fire Brigade Building, the Government Printing Workshops and the Resettlement Administration Offices in Kowloon.
Buxey Lodge Quarters
49. Demolition of the former Buxey Lodge was completed and tenders invited for the construction of a block of 60 flats for civil servants to be accommodated on the site. Apart from minor alterations necessitated by the site conditions, these flats will be the same as those at Chater Hall.
P.W.D. Depots and Quarters
50. A small scheme of ten married quarters and a storage depot for the Roads Office maintenance staff was completed at Shek O. A similar scheme with eleven quarters is under construction at Tai Tam.
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POLICE BUILDINGS
Tsuen Wan Divisional Police Station and Quarters
51. Construction was completed and the buildings opened by the Commissioner of Police to the traditional accompaniment of a burst of fire crackers. The accommodation provided includes offices, a charge room, cells, barrack quarters for 184 policemen, a block of garages, and married quarters for four officers.
Cheung Sha Wan Rank and File Quarters
52. Piling was finished and construction started on this large project which will provide 826 police rank and file married quarters together with a 24-classroom standard Government primary school and medical clinic. The quarters are planned in five connected 11-storey blocks. The arrangement provides a series of staircases giving access to two self- contained quarters on each floor, with connecting covered ways at ground level and connecting access balconies at the seventh floor which are served by lifts.
53. Sketch plans have been completed for a somewhat smaller scheme of rank and file quarters with school at Tanner Road, North Point.
Police Training School, Aberdeen
54. Alterations and additions are in progress at the training school to provide living accommodation for 32 Inspectors and barrack accom- modation for 120 rank and file.
PRISONS DEPARTMENT BUILDINGS
Victoria Prison Quarters
55. The scheme provides a block of sixteen 2- and 3-bedroom flats for prison officers, another block of 42 one-room married quarters for warders on eleven upper floors, each with its own balcony, kitchen and toilet and a third block of three floors with barrack accommodation for 40 single warders and garages at ground floor level. A site formation contract for this steeply sloping site has been completed, and work on the superstructures has started.
Chi Ma Wan Prison Officers' Quarters
56. Construction work on Lantao Island on a pair of semi-detached houses for two prison officers and their families neared completion, and sketch plans have been prepared for additional prison warders' quarters.
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FIRE BRIGADE BUILDINGS
Fire Stations at Ma Tau Chung, Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan
57. Construction of these three standard fire stations was completed. Each provides three bays for appliances and a fourth for watchroom, offices and stores, with barrack accommodation on the first floor for 36 firemen and 6 ambulance workers and married quarters for three officers on the second floor. A hose tower and workshop is included in the station yard.
Fire Stations at Cheung Chau, San Hui and Peng Chau
58. The first two of these smaller stations for outlying districts were under construction, while working drawings are in preparation for the third, which includes in the same building a small post office and scavenging store. These small fire stations include an appliance room. watchroom and quarters.
59. Sketch plans for additional quarters at Sheung Shui Fire Station in the New Territories have been prepared.
Sheung Shui Post Office
POST OFFICE BUILDINGS
60. Piling was completed and construction started on this post office which provides a public hall, sorting room, post office boxes and offices, etc. on the ground floor with a three-roomed flat and some barrack accommodation above.
61. Drawings are in progress for the provision of post office facilities in rented accommodation at Mong Kok and Kowloon City.
Shek Kip Mei III
RESETTLEMENT BUILDINGS
62. The last three blocks of the contract were completed in June.
Shek Kip Mei IV
63. Site formation and piling work started for a further two blocks and a hawker market.
Lo Fu Ngam (Stage 1)
64. The last two blocks of this contract approached completion. The scheme had been delayed by the amount of rock encountered in site formation and foundation work.
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Lo Fu Ngam (Stage II)
65. Site formation work started for a further four blocks containing some 800 domestic rooms.
Tai Wan Hill (Stage 11)
66. Work on the final block was completed in November. This contract had been delayed by site formation work.
Wong Tai Sin (Areas A & B)
67. Phase 1. The final seven blocks of this contract were completed by November. Work had been delayed by faults found in the piled foundations.
68. Phase II. The final four blocks of this contract were completed by October.
69. Phase III (a). Site formation, piling and construction work for a further six blocks commenced.
Jordan Valley
70. Site formation and piling work for the section of the estate south of the nullah was completed, and tenders called for the construction of nine domestic blocks and one flatted factory block. Tenders have been called for site formation of the area north of the nullah which will provide sites for a further seven blocks.
Kwun Tong
71. Site formation work for Stage I containing ten blocks was well in hand; piling of the first four blocks started but faulty work on piles delayed construction work. Site formation work started for Stage II for a further ten blocks.
Chai Wan, Stage 1
72. The site formation and piling for three blocks and a flatted factory were completed in December. One of the domestic blocks has been completed and construction work on the other two and the factory is in hand.
Li Cheng Uk, Stage IV
73.
Work commenced on the construction of two blocks, one of which required piled foundations.
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General
74. Clearances delayed a start on the following estates for which schemes are ready and contract drawings in hand:
(1) Tai Wo Hau
(2) Chai Wan
(3) Tung Tau
(4) Cheung Sha Wan
Tsuen Wan, New Territories.
Stage II.
Stage I.
Second flatted factory.
75. Preliminary investigations and sketch schemes have been prepared for Estates in the following areas:
(1) Wong Tai Sin (2) Tsz Wan Shan.
(3) Cheung Sha Wan
(4) Tung Tau
(5) Wang Hom.
(6) Lo Fu Ngam
Area 'C'.
Domestic. Stage II.
Stages III & IV.
76. In all 16 domestic blocks containing some 7,890 domestic rooms were completed. Site formation and piling work for the construction of blocks in the year 1959/60 is well in hand.
MISCELLANEOUS
77. Work was completed on a number of minor projects such as shelters for the Connaught Road subway; Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Con- course Covered Ways; a Port Health Office at Lo Wu and incinerators in the New Territories. Work is in progress for a Storm Warning Radar Station at Tate's Cairn on the Kowloon hills, alterations at the Castle Peak Boys' Home, a new roof for Ap Lei Chau Market and a number of other minor works.
Maintenance of Government Buildings
78. The amount spent on routine maintenance work on 349 Govern- ment and Government leased properties was $4,937,845 ($708,000 more than the previous year). Major items on the programme include:
(1) Education Office. Battery Path.
(2) Central Market.
(3)
Belilios Girls' School.
(4) King George V School.
(5) Grantham Training College.
(6) Stanley Prison.
(7) Kowloon Fire Station.
(8) Sha Tau Kok School.
(9) Rewiring of remaining floors at Queen Mary Hospital was nearing
completion.
14
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Alterations. Additions and Improvements
79. Two hundred and fifty two works costing $721,653 were approved. These included:
(1) Covered way for Aberdeen Government School.
(2) Erection of two huts for Occupational Therapy at Lai Chi Kok
Hospital.
(3) Extension to handwork room at Queen Elizabeth School.
(4) Construction of a Dangerous Goods Store at Kowloon Hospital. (5) Installation of water supply to Pak Kung Au and Pak Hok Chau
observation posts.
(6) Provision of mains electricity supply to Mui Wo Dispensary.
MISCELLANEOUS MAINTENANCE
80. White ant inspections were carried out on 219 buildings, exceed- ing the previous year's total by 12.
81. Relatively light typhoon and rainstorm damage reduced expendi- ture to $106,000 on this item, which is $498,000 less than the amount spent in the preceeding year.
WORKS CARRIED OUT BY PRIVATE ARCHITECTS
82. Government continued the policy of appointing architects in private practice to undertake works for which no Architectural Office staff was available.
83. The Public Works Department retains financial and administra- tive control of these projects, and close liaison between client department and private architect is maintained through an architect in the depart-
ment.
84. The following buildings, executed by private architects, were completed:
(1) Five primary schools, each of 24 classrooms, at Tai Hang Tung (Mr. W. Szeto), Jordan Road (Mr. N. J. Chien), Shau Kei Wan (Mr. H. S. Luke), Hung Hom (Messrs. Chau & Lee), and Eastern Hospital Road (Mr. T. C. Yuen).
(2) Kowloon Mortuary (Messrs. Chau & Lee).
(3) Silvermine Bay Police Post (Mr. W. H. Kwan).
(4) Offices and Quarters for Co-operative Development Department
(Mr. W. Szeto).
85. Buildings under construction include:
(1) A ten-storey block at Causeway Bay comprising three magistrates' courts, a juvenile court and government offices. The entire building will be air-conditioned. (Messrs. Palmer & Turner).
15
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(2) A six-storey block at the junction of Castle Peak Road and Tai Po Road which will contain four magistrates' courts, a juvenile court and government offices. The entire building will be air-conditioned. (Messrs. Palmer & Turner).
(3) Two 24-classroom primary schools at Canton Road (Mr. W. H. Kwan)
and Caine Road (Messrs. Hsin Yieh & Associates).
(4) A nine-storey polyclinic at Sai Ying Pun (Messrs. Leigh & Orange).
86. Projects for which either working drawings or sketch plans are in hand include:
(1) District Offices, clinic and quarters at Yuen Long (Mr. W. Szeto). (2) Western District Magistracy (Messrs. Palmer & Turner).
(3) Fan Ling Magistracy (Messrs. Palmer & Turner).
(4) Primary schools at Eastern Hospital Road (Dr. J. S. L. Woo), Blake Gardens (Mr. T. C. Yuen) and Queen's Road East (Mr. N. J. Chien). (5) Two secondary schools at North Point (Messrs. Hsin Yieh and
Messrs. Kwan, Chu and Yang).
(6) Laboratories and Workshops at the Technical College, Hung Hom
(Mr. W. Szeto).
(7) Sha Tau Kok Dispensary (Messrs. Spence, Robinson & Partners). (8) Urban Services Depots at Whitfield (Mr. T. C. Yuen) and Sai Yee
Street (Mr. WONG Cho Tong).
(9)
Abattoirs in Hong Kong and Kowloon (Messrs. Hal Williams & Co.). (10) Market at Jardine's Bazaar (Mr. Wong Cho Tong).
(11) Kowloon Tsai Park and Swimming Pool (Messrs. Leigh & Orange). (12) Police stations at Shek Kip Mei (Mr. Robert Fan), Wong Tai Sin
(Mr. Eric Cumine), and Kwun Tong (Mr. Eric Cumine).
(13) Police Inspectorate Married Quarters at Green Lane (Messrs. Spence.
Robinson & Partners).
(14) Children's Welfare Centre, Kowloon (Messrs. Chau & Lee).
(15) Resettlement Staff Quarters at Shek Kip Mei (Mr. Robert Fan)
and Li Cheng Uk (Professor W. G. Gregory).
87. Mr. Eric Cumine was appointed to prepare a comprehensive report on extensions at Queen Mary Hospital to provide additional operating theatres and teaching facilities. His report has been received and is under consideration.
BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE
Chief Building Surveyor, R. Fairbairn, A.R.I.C.S.
Assistant Chief Building Surveyors, P. V. Shawe, A.R.I.C.S.
G. Thomson, A.R.I.B.A.
88. The volume of private building works undertaken in the Colony remains at a very high level, and as in previous years, the emphasis is still on the erection of buildings to be used for habitation.
89. The capital expenditure of some $255,000,000.00 on private building works during the period 1st April, 1958 to 31st March, 1959
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Connaught Road Pedestrian Subway (from Chater Road).
A large rock cut-Tin Hau Temple Road extension.
Government Stores Department. North Point.
Ma Tau Chung Fire Station (A standard 3-bay Fire Station).
0000
gives a figure which is so far the highest in the Colony's history, but it is possible that this figure will diminish as the rate of private building development settles down to a more normal level after the tremendous impetus given by the introduction of the Buildings Ordinance, 1955.
Domestic Buildings
90. Reference was made in the report last year to the fact that, with very large schemes for domestic buildings, it had been possible to arrange the open space so that 'off the street' playing grounds could be provided for the occupants of these buildings. This tendency has shown signs of being continued and a number of other schemes arranged on this basis have been approved. Although buildings of 10, 12 or more storeys have been quite numerous, the greatest demand seems to be for buildings not exceeding 7 or 8 storeys, in order to eliminate the necessity for lifts-an amenity which adds considerably to the cost of any such project. It has been observed also that owners are experiencing difficulty in disposing of flats of the European and similar type, and that there is now a tendency for small, 'one living room' units to be more favourably considered by developers.
91. No doubt as a result of the recent emphasis on the value and importance of tourist trade to the Colony, a number of very large hotel buildings are now projected. Several are in course of erection, particularly in the Tsim Sha Tsui area. These buildings are in the main 17 or 18 storeys in height.
Non-domestic Buildings
92. The year has seen the demolition of a number of very old build- ings well known to all residents; for example, Shell House, the remaining portion of the Hong Kong Hotel, King's Building, York Building, Queen's Theatre and Chungking Arcade.
93. The erection of new factory buildings proceeded apace during the year, with particular emphasis on the industrial area of Kwun Tong which, when viewed at night, now gives the impression of a small town. Here some large factories have been erected or are in course of erection for such diverse trades as cotton spinning, paint manufacturing and watch manufacturing.
94. Consequent upon the erection of these factories, other forms of development followed, e.g. low cost housing, workers' quarters, and the other ancillary buildings necessary for the creation of what amounts to a new industrial town.
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Dangerous Buildings
95. As a result of fires and collapses a number of buildings were rendered dangerous to such an extent that seven were closed by means of Closure Orders obtained from a Magistrate by the Building Authority. An unusually bad fire destroyed two houses in Shanghai Street, and four other houses seriously affected by the fire had to be demolished immediately afterwards, leaving about 600 people homeless.
Inspections on behalf of other Government Departments
96. As in previous years inspections were made on behalf of the Police (as Licensing Authority) of places of public entertainment and printing establishments and on behalf of the Education Department in connexion with the registration of schools.
Unauthorized Structures
97. It was possible to devote a little more time to unauthorized structures, and earlier action by owners in dealing with notices has resulted. In cases where owners have proved unco-operative the Architec- tural Office has assisted by carrying out the necessary works on behalf of the Building Authority.
General
98. The Kowloon branch office of the Buildings Ordinance Office opened on the 2nd January, 1958, and was well established by the begin- ning of the financial year 1958/59. The division of the office into two sections has made liaison less easy and has caused some inconvenience to private architects, most of whom have their offices in Victoria. On the other hand, the provision of an office on the mainland has made for more frequent visits to building sites by the surveyors, who are now within easy reach of their districts.
99. With staff increases in the Buildings Ordinance Office it became possible to increase site inspections during the construction of buildings, and an improvement in the quality of workmanship, materials and general construction at building sites has resulted. Although it can by no means be said that perfection has been reached, it is hoped that as staff permits an even higher standard of construction will be obtained in the future.
100. The figures set out below give further information on the work of the office in its various functions.
101. 1,210 new buildings were completed during the year of which 967 were for domestic use.
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102. In all 5,865 approvals were issued for plans in respect of 7,797 buildings of which details are set out below:
Domestic Buildings :
94 plans for
115 226
*
**
**
*
76
11
99
**
"
T
1 plan for
2 plans for
2
**
1 plan 1
59
**
་་
**
"
99 Apartment buildings 234 European type houses 482 Chinese type houses 98. Tenement buildings
11 Blocks of flats
3 Blocks of 'So Uk' Housing Scheme
2 Hotels
2 Hospitals
1 Farm house
1 Caretaker's Quarters
2 Dormitory and Staff Quarters
Non-domestic Buildings:
81 plans for 91 Factories and workshops
34
**
..
13
3
23
**
**
**
19
1 plan for
1
**
2 plans for
4
S
3
9
**
-
•
44
34 Godowns and stores
13 Office buildings
3 Theatres
23 Schools
1 Welfare centre
1 Broadcasting Station
2 Telephone Exchange buildings
4 Service Stations
5 Sub-stations
**
•
3 Pavilions
**
4 Chapels
1 plan for
1
**
*
**
**
1
3 plans for 1 plan
9 Bathing sheds
1 Recreation club
1 Vacation centre
1 Garage
1 Convent building
1 Funeral Parlour
13 Shops
1 Jetty
**
1
1
1
97
J
22 plans 63 383
35
**
**
1 Sugar purifier
་་
•
1 Swimming pool
*
"
1 Cold storage building
22 Minor non-domestic buildings
63 Site formations
681 Buildings for demolition
39 Buildings for repairs and rehabilitations
946 Buildings for alterations and additions
2,529 Buildings-Amended plans
1,267 Buildings to install W.Cs., Drainage and Water
tanks, etc.
1,100 Buildings to carry out R.C.C. and piling works.
19
812 2,154 880
+9
..
791
*
"
Digitized by
103. Occupation Certificates were issued for 193 European type houses, 616 Chinese type houses, 70 Apartment buildings, 65 tenement buildings, 6 composite buildings, 3 hostels, 12 blocks of flats, 1 hotel, 1 farm house and 243 non-domestic buildings.
104. Legal notices issued comprised 133 for dangerous buildings and 331 for removal of illegal structures and abatement of drainage nuisances.
105. 741 drain tests were carried out in various districts. In addition to the inspection of works for which plans had been approved, 1,624 inspections of licensed premises and registered schools were made on behalf of other Government departments.
106. 19 building collapses, 6 landslides, 13 emergency shorings and 10 fires received necessary attention.
107. 918 miscellaneous permits for matsheds, hoardings and scaffold- ings, including renewal of permits, were issued.
108. 38 Cease Works Orders were issued and 7 Closure Orders were obtained.
109. 688 Registration Certificates in respect of registered contractors were renewed, and sixty three contractors registered.
110. There was one prosecution.
CROWN LANDS AND SURVEYS OFFICE
Superintendent of Crown Lands & Surveys, J. E. Richardson, O.B.E., F.R.I.C.S., Assistant Superintendent, Surveys, C. S. Barron, M.B.E., A.R.I.C.S., Assistant Superintendent, Planning,
R. H. Hughes, M.A. (Cantab.), A.R.I.C.S., Assistant Superintendent, Crown Lands,
R. C. Clarke, B. Eng. (Min.), LL.B. (Lond.), D.P.A. (Lond.),
A.M.I.Min.E., A.R.I.C.S.
GENERAL
Staff
111. The total authorized establishment was 339, an increase of 16 over the previous year. These figures do not include the New Territories Cadastral Survey establishment of 143.
112. The difficulty experienced since the war in recruiting Land Surveyors seems now to have been overcome and three were recruited
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during the year, together with three Estate Surveyors. The staff position has consequently improved, although 3 vacancies for Land Surveyors, 3 for Estate Surveyors and 1 for Planning Officer remain unfilled.
Revenue
113. The total revenue collected compared with 1957/58 is as under:
1958/59
Premia in land sales, etc.
Boundary Stones & Survey Fees Permit Fees ...
Plans sold to the public
LAND
1957/58
$23,779,973.86
$29,231,891.95
54,201.94
37,853.91
2,835,219,49
3,031,447.88
5,244.70
3,622.70
$26,674,639.99
$32,304,816.44
114. The steady rise over the past years in the value of land used for residential purposes was not so apparent during this year; in fact there was a lull in development of this nature. Industrial land values, on the other hand, remained unchanged though only six sites were sold for general industrial purposes.
115. The revenue derived from land transactions in the urban area at approximately $33 million is an all time record.
Auction Sales
116. Industry. Apart from the six sites sold for general industrial purposes, one of which realized $77 a square foot, thirty five sites were sold at Yau Tong Bay, restricted to the ship-building and timber-yard trades. The total amount realized from these sales was $4,488,000, but the majority of the purchasers chose to pay by instalments over eighteen years, a special concession allowed for these Yau Tong sales.
117. One site sold at auction, restricted to a motor vehicle service station and garage, realized about $50 a square foot.
118. Non-Industrial. Although twenty one sites were submitted to auction, fourteen had to be withdrawn as there were no bids at the level of the upset price. Of the seven sites sold, one was restricted to school use, in three cases (at Shek O) the current leases had expired and the occupants purchased the lots at the upset price, one was for commercial and two were for residential purposes.
Private Treaty Grants
119. Ninety four lots or extensions to lots were granted by private treaty, fifteen by exchanges and twelve free of premium. Thirty six were
21
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for local officers' housing co-operatives and the remainder for varying purposes including utilities (one such grant realized about $4 million), oil installations at Kai Tak, workers' housing, etc.
Modifications and Enforcement of Lease Conditions
120. Considerable progress was made in this sphere; fifty two cases of modification of lease conditions and thirty four cases of removal of the twenty-year restrictions against sale were completed. The total premium realized from these transactions amounted to a little over $34 million.
Lease Renewals
121. Systematic progress has been maintained in dealing with grants of new leases for seventy-five-year 'non-renewable' leases; 130 cases were completed, all but two involving lots in Kowloon. The total revenue collected, however, is a little less than in the previous year.
Land for Government and Government-sponsored projects
122. The efforts of the Lands Division continued more and more to be directed towards the selection of sites for Government and Govern- ment-sponsored projects and the subsequent co-ordination of the various engineering aspects of the projects.
Clearances and Resettlement
123. The Lands Division became responsible for co-ordinating all clearances required by the Public Works Department, and for subsequent liaison with the Resettlement Department.
Statistics
124. Revenue. Details of the premia derived from land transactions in the Urban area compared with the previous year are as follows:
(1) Sales by Auction:
Island
Kowloon
New Kowloon (including
Kwun Tong)
1957/58
$ 4,900,889.75 4,883,000.00
1958/59 $ 1,232,520.00 1,263,000.00
1,556,067.70
(2) Sales without Auction :
Island
1,609,307.00
6,629,160.00
Kowloon
1,560,938.00
3,637,296.00
New Kowloon (including
Kwun Tong)
1,178,000.00
8,309,090.00
(3) Exchanges & Extensions :
Island
704,276.21
791,151.10
Kowloon
1,229,021.25
180,806.68
New Kowloon
231,145.12
29,470.79
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(4) Modifications of Lease
Conditions:
Island
Kowloon
New Kowloon
(5) Renewal of Crown Leases :
Island
Kowloon
New Kowloon
(6) Piers & Wharves:
Island
Kowloon
New Kowloon
1957/58
1958/59
$1,534,086.05
$ 1,328,033.61
838,733.00
3,024,091.99
735,795.00 1,682,464.40
56,508.04
2,029,977.45
78,202.12 1,731,695.55
$23,779,973.86
47,139.00
$29,231,891.95
125. Land Transactions. A summary of the various categories of land transactions is given below:
New
Hong Kong
Kowloon
Kowloon
(including Kwun Tong)
Total No. of cases
2
6
(1) Land Sale by Auction:
Non-industrial (including residential) . School Sites
3
1
Industrial
2
Shipbuilding/sawmill or Timber yard Service Station
(2) Private Treaty Grants (12 free grants):
-| -| -
1
I w IN
1631
35
35
Local Officers Housing
14
18
36
Low Cost Housing
1
2
3
Workers Housing (or Staff Quarters)
1
1
2
4
Schools
8
Church
1
School and Church
2
Nursery
1
1
Piers (including Swimming Pavilion).
Airways Company Maintenance Office Gas Production Plant
1
1
1
Fuel Farm for Oil Companies in
Kai Tak
1
1
Telephone Company Office (încluding
Exchanges and Staff Quarters)
1
1
2
Electric Generation Plant and Staff
Quarters
Electric Sub-Stations
Pleasure Garden
I wi
1
1
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(3) Exchanges and Extensions:
Exchanges
Extensions
Hong Kowloon Kong
125
New Kowloon (including Kwun Tong)
Total No. of cases
13
1
15
11
1
14
50
25
27
102
Excess Area
(4) Modification and Removal of 20 Years
Restrictions:
Modifications
Removal of 20 Years Restrictions
(5) Renewal of Crown Leases:
24
8
00 v
8
5
22
20
52
21
34
2
128
130
126. Kwun Tong. Details of the lots sold to date at Kwun Tong New Town are given below (the actual premia derived for 1958/59 have also been included in paragraphs 124 and 125 under the sub-headings 'New Kowloon").
No. of Lots Sold
During
Description
To date
1958/59
Area in sq. ft.
Amount of Premium
realized
81
2
Industrial
1,719,680
$23.051.555.00
2
Flatted Factory
53,000
543.000.00
1
Filling Station
4,000
48.000.00
4
Residential
20,500
506,800.00
1
1
Workers Housing
44.975
359,800.00
1
1
Commercial
7,800
124,800.00
1
1
Low Cost Housing
195,000
199.000.00
3
3
Electric Power Sub-station ..
12.400
148.800.00
།
94
2.057,355
$24.981,755.00*
* Note:
Permit
In almost every case purchasers of factory lots have opted to pay premium by instalments.
Actual amount received 1956/57
Actual amount received 1957/58
Actual amount received 1958/59
Total amount received
$ 455.934.00
2,511,791.64
1,806,719.22
$4,774,444,86
127. Crown Land permits are issued in accordance with the Sum- mary Offences Ordinance Cap. 228, and regulations made thereunder. Such permits are issued for a great variety of purposes and provide for the temporary occupation of Crown land pending its permanent develop-
ment.
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128. Only 354 new permits were issued; these either superseded current permits cancelled for the purpose of regularizing title or were for essential purposes such as utilities. 624 permits were cancelled, mainly to make way for permanent development. The number of permits in force. is gradually decreasing, though on the revenue side, a slight increase is shown.
Details of these permits are as follows:
Description of Permits
No. of Permits issued
No. of Permits
cancelled
From 1946
to 31.3.59
Financial Year 1958/59
During the
Financial Year During the
From 1946
to 31.3.59
1958/59
No. of Permits in Force
No. of Permits amended during the year
No. of Demand Notes
issued during the year
Permit Fees
Actual Amount collected for both Old and New Permits
Annual Fees derived from New Permits only
General Permits...
11,704 351' 5,947
610 5,757 521 6,636 $2,941,806.14
$52,009.37
(excluding
refunds $16,227.76)
Pier Permits
991
3 64
14
35
50 $
89,641.74 (excluding refunds-
1,093.44
$275.77)
Total
11,803 354, 6,011 624 5,792 521 6,686 $3,031,447.88
1
$53,102.81
Note: (1) Free permits are no longer issued to public utility companies and all existing ones have been cancelled. Master Plans are maintained, showing all cable routes and poles of the public utility companies, and are amended as and when 1equired.
(2) The actual amount collected for both old and new general permits includes $10.00 as rent
for Sai Wan Cemetery and $50.00 as rent for Naval Stations.
Valuation and Resumption
129. Valuations were made for the following purposes:
Resumptions under the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance (Cap. 124); Surrenders for street and other improvements;
Renewal of Crown Leases;
Sale and purchase of land and buildings by Government;
Town Planning;
Extensions to existing lots;
Removal of restrictive covenants, etc.
130. In addition, all hereditaments falling to be assessed for Estate Duty purposes were valued by this section at a total of $28,788,268.50, and assistance in valuation matters was given to other Government Departments.
131. Negotiations for surrenders for such purposes as road improve- ments and the implementation of planning layouts continued. The case
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for the Crown was presented before two Arbitration Boards appointed to determine compensation payable under the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance, and preparatory work was done for Boards which may have to be convened for other resumptions.
PLANNING
132. The urban area is divided into 37 planning districts. By the end of the year outline development plans were in various stages of preparation for 27 of these and for 11 districts in the New Territories. In addition layout plans are in preparation or have been completed for various sub-divisions of the planning districts, including sixteen village plans.
133. Outline development plans of Kwun Tong Tsai Wan and Fung Wong Village and amendments to Ngau Tau Kok and Hung Hom plans were approved in accordance with the Town Planning Ordinance. Draft layout plans of Tai Hang, Ngau Tau Kok and Cha Kwo Ling have been prepared and publicly exhibited in accordance with the Ordinance.
134. The service for the supply of plans for official purposes con- tinued to expand involving 4,489 plans and 42 tracings, compared with 2,330 plans and 36 tracings in 1957 and a revised schedule of plans was circulated to Government Departments and Public Utility companies. The Government Printer printed 7 approved plans for sale to the public.
135. The Planning Division contributed in various ways to the work of Consulting Engineers and the Development Office of the Public Works Department in their study of various major requirements and other development schemes.
136. Planning of all stages of the Central Reclamation, and the sites of the Naval Yard, Murray Barracks and Parade Ground and the Detention Barracks continued.
137. Close liaison with the Roads Office has been maintained, and appointment of a traffic engineer has relieved this office of considerable work on planning road in the built-up areas.
138. The development of Kwun Tong by various sub-departments of the Public Works Department together with the sale of part of the land formed was co-ordinated in the Planning Division.
139. The provision of sites for resettlement and other forms of aided housing continued to play a major part in the work of the Division. The search for suitable sites extended further afield than in previous years.
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Digitized by
140. In another year of record expansion of public works and private development, the Planning Division has been widely committed. In addition to the items already mentioned the following matters were dealt with either by preparation of plans or by general planning review and consultation:
Offensive trades
Special industries including shipbreaking and dyeing and finishing works Radio Stations
Waterfront through-road
Forestry reserve
Open space development programme
Schools development programme
Cross Harbour communications and terminals
Kowloon Railway Terminal
Hong Kong Airport and surrounding districts Public dumping
Reclamations
Population estimates.
Revenue Survey
SURVEY
141. A determined effort has been made to clear the arrears of boundary surveys, and 1,321 lease plans were sent to the Registrar General for registration of title. In addition, 734 surrender plans were made, mainly in connexion with land surrendered for road improvement, and 922 boundary stones fixed for 323 lots. 325 lots, covering 325 acres, were set out for development purposes.
Triangulation and Traversing
142. 131 triangulation stations were visited, 37 repaired and 53 new triangulation stations established. 429 permanent survey marks were fixed by 22 miles of minor traversing.
Levelling
143. The precise levelling circuit of the New Territories running from Kowloon via Tai Po, Fan Ling, Castle Peak and back to Kowloon has been completed, also the roads Fan Ling to Sha Tau Kok, Au Tau via Sek Kong to Fan Ling and Sek Kong to Tai Po. A total of 16 fundamental bench marks and 115 bracket-type bench marks were fixed. This work occupied the levelling party from March 1957 to May 1958.
144. The precise levelling net in Victoria has been extended through the Mid Levels and 101 bench marks were fixed, requiring 33 miles of levelling.
27
Digitized by
145. 3 miles of ordinary levels were run to provide spot heights on the 1/600 survey sheets of Victoria.
Revision
146. 1,678 acres or 2.6 square miles were surveyed for the large scale 1/600 survey of Hong Kong and Kowloon, involving 117 miles of detail traverse. 84 sheets of this series (52 of Hong Kong and 32 of Kowloon) are now available.
Topographical
147. Contour surveys for town planning and development schemes covered 2,357 acres or 3.7 square miles. The surveys have been plotted at:
Scale 1/600 Scale 1/1200
206 acres 10′ V.I. 1,214 acres 10′ V.I.
Scale 1/2400
937 acres 20′ V.I.
Miscellaneous
148. Surveyors attended court on twenty one occasions to give evidence. These cases involved 20 surveys, covering 73 acres.
149. 7 miles of road line were set out for development and rebuild- ing schemes, and 4 miles of building line were checked for the redevelop- ment of 104 lots.
Drawing
150. Two plans at scale 1/9600, covering the Harbour and Tsuen Wan areas, were completed; these were prepared from reductions of the large scale surveys. Work started on the compilation and drawing for tourist purposes of a 'popular' edition 1/100,000 map of the Colony, with a modified edition of the harbour sheet printed on the back.
151. 554 sets of lease plans and 175 surrender plans were prepared. Training
152. (a) Twenty three assistant land surveyors and nineteen proba- tioner assistant engineering and land surveyors were under training, all receiving basic survey training for two years in theodolite traversing, tacheometric survey, detail survey, precise and ordinary levelling, precise traversing, triangulation observation and resection, plotting and drawing and instrument adjustment.
(b) Those earmarked for the Crown Lands and Surveys Office are then given a further year's training on boundary surveys, investigation of title and lease conditions for leases, surrenders and development.
(c) Those earmarked to be assistant engineering surveyors go to an engineering sub-department for training in engineering survey.
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(d) of five Class III assistant land surveyors who sat the 1958 promotion examination, four passed and were upgraded to Class II. New Territories Cadastral Survey
153. One section operated from Kowloon, and two sections from survey camps at Sha Tin and Castle Peak. A Land Surveyor-in-charge was recruited in May and work on this survey has consequently speeded up.
Control Survey
154. Nine triangulation stations were fixed and 57 miles of control traverses run to establish 999 permanent points.
Detail Survey
155. 5.2 square miles or 3,329 acres of detail survey were completed involving 114 miles of detail traverse and the fixing of 349 resected points. 124 sheets of this series are now available. On four sheets the recording of property boundaries has been completed by the District Administration and the areas of lots have been computed.
DRAWING OFFICE
156. 64 sets of Sale plans, 1,046 sets of Lease plans and 801 sets of Surrender plans were prepared. 26,516 ammonia prints were produced, including plans for other Government offices and 119 for the public. Nine 200 feet to 1 inch scale tracings of Hong Kong and Kowloon sheets have been completed and work on three is continuing.
157. The 'Copycat' printing equipment produced 5,129 prints, including prints for other Government offices. An additional 1,239 prints were produced by cyclostyle.
158. The photostat reproduction equipment produced 3,552 prints from 1,094 negatives.
159. The Photographic Section produced 1,383 enlargements to various scales for Survey Section, Town Planning Section and other Government offices. Progress reports and record photographs for the whole Department have also been made.
160. In addition the Kowloon Drawing Office produced 6,367 prints by the 'Apollo' machine on 'Deltaline' paper, including 1,411 prints for other Departments.
161. Seventy two old record and permit plans were replaced by new sheets, mounted on linen backing. Separate sets of plans to a scale of
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400 feet to 1 inch were prepared and bound in book form for recording the permits for lines, pylons, poles, etc., issued to utility companies. Some thirty Approach Area (Flight Control) plans, coloured, were prepared and supplied to other Departments and the public. Assistance was given to the Urban Services Department in the preparation of plans of cemeteries.
162. The Chief Draughtsman prepared a design in full colour for the Colony's Armorial Bearings.
DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
Acting Assistant Director/Development,
E. Wilmot Morgan, B.Sc., A.M.I.C.E., A.M.I.W.E.
163. This sub-department was created in March 1958 under an Assistant Director on the recommendation of the Special Committee on Housing 'to plan, and as each plan is approved, to carry out new engineering works precedent to the rapid and large scale development of areas of Crown land and reclaimed sea which would not otherwise be developed at the present time'. A small nucleus of staff was recruited.
Construction Work
164. À contract for the formation by excavation and reclamation of approximately 90 acres at Kwun Tong at an estimated cost of $5,000,000 was let and 17 acres were reclaimed during the year. This is part of Stage III of the Kwun Tong Reclamation, which covers 150 acres, and to obtain the necessary fill investigations were carried out on the provision of a new road to link the Kwun Tong industrial township to the Clear Water Bay Road. This would give access to further areas to be formed for development by excavation and the surplus fill would go into the reclamation. Specialist sub-contractors investigated the sub- soil structure of Ngok Yu Shan by a resistivity method with a view to levelling the hill and providing further fill.
Forward Planning
165. The office prepared reports on:
(1) A link road to join Castle Peak Road to Tai Po Road.
(2) The formation by 'cut-fill' of Ho Man Tin and King's Park Resettle- ment areas, together with a development plan and appreciation of the engineering problems.
(3) The formation of the Kowloon Military Hospital site, and develop-
ment of surrounding areas.
(4) The development of the Lai Chi Kok Area.
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DRAINAGE OFFICE
Chief Engineer, (Acting), J. Alexander, B.Sc. (Eng.), A.M.I.C.E.
GENERAL
166. The removal of some 64,300 tons of silt from nullahs and culverts proved to be one of the more expensive items of maintenance. Much of this consisted of debris from site development and quarries that had been washed down into drainage channels.
167. The following table lists the work carried out, including main intercepting sewers, stormwater culverts, sewer and stormwater pipes:
New drains laid (length in feet) Replacement of defective drains
(length in feet)
Connexions provided
Chokes cleared
Kowloon &
Island
New Kowloon
New Territories
Total
33,565
59,173
16,745
109,483
6,549
6,721
13.270
849
1,554
266
2,669
3,545
5,059
297
8,901
168. There was a substantial increase over the previous year except in the case of replacement of defective drains. The big increase of over 48% for new drains laid can be largely explained by the main intercept- ing sewers and culverts constructed in Kowloon and the Island whilst considerable lengths of piping were laid in Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong.
RESETTLEMENT (DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL) AND HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT
169. In the Jordan Valley, the completion of drainage works involving the re-training of the river and the culverting of branch water- courses enabled site formation and development of the resettlement estate to begin. The office also completed drainage and road works in the Wong Tai Sin Resettlement Areas A and B. At Kwun Tong major re-alignment of the streamcourses by means of nullah training and culverting of branch streams commenced as a necessary preliminary to forming the site of the new resettlement area, and a new drainage net- work initiated the second stage of Lo Fu Ngam Resettlement Estate. Site formation began for the northern half of the Fung Wong Village Development Scheme in accordance with the Town Plan, to provide formed sites for village-type building development. Work started on the main outfall sewer for the Jordan Valley Resettlement Area which includes about 500 feet of temporary sea outfall.
170. Further drainage work at the So Uk Housing Estate was carried
out.
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NULLAH DECKING AND RECONSTRUCTION
171. In Kowloon the major works consisted of the decking of the Nan Chang Street nullah and the construction of a new culvert down Dundas Street to the Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter to relieve flooding of the Waterloo Road nullah. On the Island nullahs were decked at Hill Road, Water Street and Repulse Bay Beach and work commenced on the culverting and re-alignment of the nullah bounding the Taikoo Sugar Refinery at Quarry Bay.
DISPOSAL WORKS, INTERCEPTING SEWERS AND SCREENING PLANTS
172. Consideration was given to the primary treatment of sewage to reduce the ever increasing pollution of the waters of the harbour, and an initial lay-out plan was prepared for a sewage disposal plant for the Yau Ma Tei Drainage Area as a pilot scheme.
173. As the complement of the Wan Chai intercepting sewers laid previously, work started on the laying of a 66-inch diameter reinforced concrete submarine outfall pipe to carry the sewage 1,200 feet out into deep water opposite Fleming Road to assist in its dilution.
174. In Kowloon, the main trunk sewer for the Kowloon Eastern Drainage Scheme was completed. This pipe runs 7,800 feet from Clear Water Bay Road at the Wong Tai Sin Resettlement Estate to the northern end of the new Kai Tak runway. The pipe sizes increase from 42-inch diameter to 66-inch diameter along its length.
175. Intercepting sewers were laid along Canton Road and Salisbury Road to collect sewage in the Kowloon South Drainage Area. Work commenced on designs for a submarine outfall adjacent to Holt's Wharf.
176. The main sewerage scheme at Kwun Tong was not able to proceed until work on reclamation in this area had been advanced.
177. Preparation of designs for screening plants for the Wan Chai Sewerage Scheme and the Kowloon East Sewerage Scheme (Kai Tak Runway) commenced.
178. Two 'Shone' ejectors for the Shek Wu Hui drainage scheme in the New Territories arrived from the United Kingdom.
PRIVATE WORKS
179. 1,262 proposals for private drainage works were examined and advice was given on a further 488 schemes relating to sales of Crown Land.
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:
ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE
Chief Electrical & Mechanical Engineer,
D. W. Walker, B.Sc., A.M.I.E.E.. M.I.Mech.E.
GENERAL
180. The sub-department continued to maintain, repair and overhaul Government electrical and mechanical equipment including all motor vehicles, road plant, cranes, steam installations, air-conditioning plants, lifts, motors, traffic control lights, refrigerators and domestic appliances. 181. The smooth functioning and administration of the sub-depart- ment remained seriously handicapped by the fact that the mechanical, electrical and air-conditioning offices continued to be in three separate localities; however, plans for a multi-storey workshop/office building at Caroline Hill to house all these activities under one roof are nearing completion.
182. H.E. the Governor accompanied by the Director of Public Works made a tour of inspection of the Caroline Hill Workshop on 24th December, 1958.
MECHANICAL SECTION
183. At the end of the year Government vehicles in service totalled 1,199 against an authorized establishment of 1,293. They comprised 245 motor cycles, 480 cars and light utility vans and 474 heavy load carrying and special purpose vehicles. A total of 654 accidents occurred. 228 new vehicles came into service and 39 old ones were disposed of in accord- ance with the recommendations of Boards of Surveys.
184. The 163 vehicles comprising the Government Transport Pool carried out over 37,000 details.
185. Of the 273 applicants tested for posts as motor drivers, 121 were selected.
186. The local construction of specially designed all-metal motor vehicle bodies included 2 special ambulances, 2 emergency tenders and 2 hose lorries for the Fire Brigade, one 30-cwt. stores van for the Electrical and Mechanical Office of the Public Works Department, 6 Police Medium General Purpose Vans, one medium mobile Command Post and one dual purpose mobile Command Post for the Police Force and one Black Maria bus for the Prisons Department. In addition, local firms constructed metal canopies on 21 standard 3-ton lorries and one 5-ton lorry and manufactured 100 refuse hand carts complete with bins for the Urban Services Department, 49 for the Resettlement Department and 16 for the District Administration, New Territories.
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187. New vehicle body construction completed in the Government workshops included one standard steel-framed 3-ton dropside lorry body; twenty two standard 3-ton covered lorry bodies; one 5-ton drop- side body and one 5-ton covered lorry body; six 15-cwt. Pick-Up Trucks; five 'Countryman' 10-cwt. Utility Vans, twenty three Land Rover 109 Pick-Up Trucks, one Radio Detection Van for the Radio Monitoring Unit and one Special Light Ambulance for the Medical Department. In addition, a drains servicing cart for the Drainage Office, a parking meter coin box collecting trolley for the Treasury and a mobile trailer for mounting the 3 K.W. diesel generating set of the Mobile Dental Surgery were constructed.
188. Conversions included two Land Rovers into dual drive control vehicles for use in the Police Driving School, a Police Land Rover Station Wagon into a Command Vehicle for the Commissioner of Police, and two short-wheel based Land Rovers for the Urban Services Depart- ment for the collection of household refuse from hill districts where the roads are too steep and narrow for the standard Urban Services Depart- ment's Refuse Collectors. Twelve Urban Services Department street washing vehicles were fitted with swing arm delivery pipes for pavement and gutter washing in roads where cars are parked, and the lorry used on the Public Works Department Cross-Harbour Service was fitted with a power operated tailboard to facilitate the loading and unloading of heavy equipment. The fixed windscreens of five refuse collectors for the District Administration, New Territories, were converted into dual opening windscreens and the rear cab windows modified to improve ventilation in these vehicles.
189. 557 sets of vehicle protective screens-each set comprising a protective grille for the windscreen and two grilles for the cab windows --were manufactured for Government vehicles.
190. A total of fifty six vehicles underwent a major overhaul including the complete stripping down of the bodywork for inspection and renewal of framework and panelling where necessary. Owing to the development of a serious defect in the steering box, all Police Station Wagons had to be taken out of service for a short time; a temporary modification carried out limited the possibility of failures until replace- ment steering boxes could be obtained from United Kingdom.
191. 200 parking meters were received, inspected and tested ready for installation and the workshops manufactured tubular steel posts for mounting them.
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192. Items manufactured by the workshops included a prototype aluminium-alloy Dead Box for the Urban Services Department, two traffic pagodas for the Police Force, a siren tower subsequently installed at the Chi Ma Wan Prison and two block-and-tackle assemblies for use in the Auxiliary Medical Service Store at Tung Choi Street, Kowloon. Two 6-inch diameter manoeuvrable delivery pipes (each 135 feet long) were installed at the Tsuen Wan nightsoil station for the transfer of nightsoil from pressurized tanker barges to the nightsoil maturation tanks ashore. Experimental work continued on transferring the matured nightsoil into the road delivery vehicles.
193. Two fully automatic oil fired steam boilers of 980 lbs./hr. rating were received, inspected, hydraulically tested and repacked for storage until required for installation at the Castle Peak Hospital in November, 1959.
194. Pressure vessels overhauled and surveyed included 8 steam boilers, 2 heating boilers, I hot water boiler, 2 rice boilers, 2 pressure ovens, 5 calorifiers, 51 sterilizers, 7 autoclaves and 1 disinfector. In addition two rice boilers were installed in the kitchen of the Sisters' Quarters at the Queen Mary Hospital.
195. The Plant Section had a very busy year maintaining all Govern- ment civil and mechanical plant, sewage pumping and screening plants, diesel generating sets, pumping sets, lawn mowers, etc., as well as installing 10 additional generating sets, 4 air compressors, 3 petrol dispensing pumps, one diesel-driven salt water pumping set at the Gin Drinker's Bay Refuse Dump, one drying machine in the laundry in H.M. Prison, Stanley, four 1,000-watt searchlights in the Tsuen Wan Divisional Police Station and numerous well-water pumps. Five petrol installations (each comprising an underground storage tank, pipework and dispensing pump) were completed at the Ma Tau Chung, Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long and the new Kai Tak Airport Fire Stations respectively and at the Caroline Hill premises of this sub-department.
196. New mechanical plant received, assembled, tested and put into service included 3 tandem road rollers, 1 fork-lift truck, 1 light tractor, 2 lawn mowers and three 1-cubic yard dump trucks.
197. 7 road rollers, 2 mobile air compressors, 14 generating sets, 6 lawn mowers, 29 pumping sets, I auto-diesel truck, 1 battery charger, and Anchor Street sewage screening plant underwent major overhauls.
198. The Mechanical Workshops completed 39,000 jobs.
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ELECTRICAL SECTION
199. The number of items of electrical plant, equipment and appli- ances serviced and maintained rose by some 13% to 25,190, comprising 1,552 electric motors (11,505 horse-power), 9,831 fans, 7,060 heaters and radiators, 1,093 cookers and hotplates, 2,110 water heaters and wash boilers, 76 lifts and hoists, 501 traffic-aid installations and 2,967 miscel- laneous items.
200. The installations completed and put into operation included the following:
One 320/120 H.P. 2 speed pump set at the Elliot Pumping Station.
One 40 K.W. emergency generator at the Government Printing Department. Three dust extraction plants and one 45 H.P. Crushing roll motor at the
Hok Yuen Quarry.
Lighting and power wiring installations at the Tsuen Wan Pumping
Station, second stage.
Lighting and power wiring installation at the Tsuen Wan Filtration
Plant, second stage.
Perimeter security lighting at the Tsuen Wan Divisional Police Station. Security and street lights at the Chi Ma Wan Prison.
One 6 K.W. emergency generator at the Central Fire Brigade.
Perimeter security lights at the rank and file married quarters, Arsenal
Street.
Street light installations at the Chai Wan, Fu Tau Wat and So Kon Po
Resettlement Areas.
Main Switchboards for the new Government Stores Building.
No. 9 conveyor at Mount Butler Quarry.
One 12 K.v.A. emergency generator at the Cape Collinson Camp.
Starter panel for the No. 3 370-H.P. motor at the Kau Wa Keng Pumping
Station.
Aircraft positioning beacons at Lei Yue Mun Gap and Hai Tan Street.
Sham Shui Po.
Perimeter light installations at the Mount Butler Quarry.
Lighting and power wiring installations at the Tsuen Wan filtration plant
staff quarters.
201. The four sets of vehicle-actuated traffic control systems ordered in 1957/58 arrived towards the end of the year and in spite of other pressing commitments one set was installed and put into operation at Prince Edward Road/Waterloo Road. Articles ordered included addi- tional equipment for several of the existing traffic control systems to cope with the changed traffic patterns since the original installation.
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202. Belisha Beacons were installed at new zebra crossings as follows:
Pok Fu Lam Road/Sassoon Road
Ma Tau Wei Road/Hok Yuen Street
Chatham Road
Castle Peak Road
Nathan Road
1 crossing
1 crossing
3 crossings
2 crossings
6 crossings
203. 147 new traffic island bollards, 24 times more than the number in 1957/58, were installed.
204. Contractors working under supervision installed a new No. 3 mail lift at the General Post Office, a replacement Bed/passenger lift at the North Wing, Queen Mary Hospital and one passenger lift and two freight lifts at the new Government Stores building.
205. The workshops were fully occupied during the year, as was the maintenance staff. 25,777 maintenance visits were made, 14,837 faults were attended to, 17,059 workshop jobs were completed and 1,935 tests were made at new installations.
AIR-CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION SECTION
206. The quantity of plant and equipment operated, repaired and maintained by this Section continued to increase. This rapid growth is perhaps best illustrated by the following figures:
Air-conditioning plants No.
++
Room air-coolers
Refrigerators
Tonnage
Mortuaries and cold stores
Film processing units
Dehumidifiers
Ventilating plants
Special refrigerating equipment
Deep freezers
Exhaust fans
1957/58
1958/59
54
61
977
1,100
190
301
1,454
1,714
9
12
12
15
30
52
44
61
3
4
4
5
319
332
207. The above included 8 major installations ranging in capacity from 25 to 370 tons each. The servicing of these as well as a very large number of minor units required over 13,000 maintenance visits and some 1,800 repair jobs.
208. New installations designed and carried out under contract included air-conditioning plants in the Government Stores (100 H.P.), the Commerce and Industry Department (18 H.P.), Government House
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(6) H.P.) and Medical Department (3 plants totalling 50 H.P.) as well as cold stores for the Medical Department, Prisons Department and Urban Services Department.
209. Room coolers in Government Offices continued to be popular and 106 machines were installed at Kai Tak Airport Control Tower (2), Commerce and Industry Department (2), Kowloon Magistracy (6), Supreme Court Building (7), Colonial Secretary's House (5), District Administration, New Territories (17), Technical College (1), Government House (3), K.C.R. Manager's Office (1), Labour Department (1), Medical Department (17), Police Department Headquarters (3), Post Office (1). Public Relations (26), Hok Yuen Quarry (3), Registration of Persons Office (2), Secretary for Chinese Affairs (1), Social Welfare Department (2), Stores Department (3), Urban Services Department (3).
210. The design of all air-conditioning plants for Government build- ings, irrespective of whether the actual buildings were designed by Government or local private Architects, was undertaken by this section. Changes in plan necessitated a considerable amount of re-design for the New Government West Block Offices and for the City Hall project.
PORT WORKS OFFICE
Chief Engineer, J. J. Robson, M.I.C.E., A.M.I.Struct.E.
A. Mar, M.Sc. (Man.), A.M.I.C.E., (Acting).
GENERAL
211. The work carried out falls under four main headings:
(1) maintenance of sea walls and piers with miscellaneous dredging
works;
(2) new reclamations, piers and other marine structures;
(3) miscellaneous; and
(4) operation of the Public Works Department materials-testing
laboratory.
MAINTENANCE
212. The maintenance of the Colony's public piers, sea walls and other marine structures continued as in previous years under an annual contract. Most of this work consisted of repairs to fenders, wallings, decking, landing steps and handrails, etc.
213. Although typhoons caused very slight damage, extensive clear- ing of drainage outfalls was required after heavy rains; the two depart- mental dredging units, each consisting of a tug, a grab dredger and three
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hoppers did this work. Apart from clearance, these dredging units prepared foundations for construction works and dredged 165,000 cubic yards of material.
214. Divers inspected various piers and sea walls and undertook miscellaneous diving works for other Departments and Offices. Under- water blasting removed rocks dangerous to shipping in the Southern Fairway. Demolition of a similar group of rocks discovered near Stone- cutters Island started. 549 hours were spent underwater by Government divers.
215. Public dumping in reclamations at Cheung Sha Wan, Kwun Tong, Hung Hom and the Central District of Hong Kong provided 582,000 cubic yards of filling.
NEW CONSTRUCTIONS
Kwun Tong Reclamation
216. Progress on this reclamation fell off towards the end of the year when the site formation contractor ran into difficulties, and the contract had to be terminated when only 39.5% of the work had been completed. The total area reclaimed under the various contracts was 77 acres, and to complete Stages I and II of the reclamation a further 16 acres had still to be reclaimed; it was decided to carry out this work under three small contracts rather than one large one. By the end of the year, work on the first of these contracts had started, the second one had been awarded and tenders called for the third and last one.
Central Reclamation, Stage III
217. Work continued on this stage of the Central Reclamation and by the end of the year only the flexible fendering system remained to be erected.
218. The 1,050 feet sea wall frontage of this 6-acre reclamation will provide permanent berths for the Macau ferries.
Hung Hom Reclamation
219. When 1,400 feet of sea wall at the southern end had been built and the enclosed area reclaimed with 132,000 cubic yards of spoil provided free by public dumping, work was suspended pending a deci- sion on the re-siting of the Kowloon-Canton Railway terminus.
Tsuen Wan Reclamation
220. Work on the construction of a further 2,600 feet of sea wall to complete the reclamation line progressed well and had nearly been
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completed by the end of the year. To give the wall initial stability a 50-feet wide bund was created behind it with spoil from site formation works for the nearby Tai Wo Hau multi-storey resettlement blocks.
Reclamation for the Tong Mi Road Extension
221. The dredging of the foundation trench for some 550 feet of sea wall for the Tong Mi Road extension commenced but had to be suspended owing to numerous public objections. The precasting of all the concrete blockwork was however completed.
Reclamation at Peng Chau Island, South
222. This small reclamation of 1,200 square yards, protected by 200 feet of pitched rubble walling, has improved the central waterfront of Peng Chau.
Chi Ma Wan Prison Pier Extension
223. A contract for the extension of the existing pier was let in April and completed in October.
Sok Kwu Wan Pier
224. Work on this pier on Lamma Island commenced in December. By the end of the year all precast work at North Point Depot had been completed and the construction of the causeway and the erection of the temporary staging had started.
Ferry Pier and Sea Wall at Cheung Chau
225. This included sea wall protection of the foreshore and the construction of a new pier to provide two ferry berths with improved protection and facilities for passengers. Work commenced in February.
Pier at Kei Ling Ha Hoi in Tolo Harbour
226. The construction of this pier, measuring 80 feet long by 30 feet wide with a 120-feet long approach, started in November. Owing to the remoteness of this difficult site, the piles were cast at the North Point Depot and transported by barge some 30 miles up the coast, largely through open water. By the end of March, pile driving had been completed and the decking and construction of the approach had started.
Typhoon Shelter at Tsing Yi
227. As the reclamation of the bay at Tsuen Wan has absorbed the natural anchorage for native craft, work started on the formation of an
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artificial harbour by the construction of three breakwaters between the nearby islands of Tsing Yi and Nga Ying Chau.
MISCELLANEOUS
Minor Works
228. Minor works completed or in hand, included:
(1) The inspection of private piers prior to the renewal of permits
and leases.
(2) The checking of calculations and drawings submitted by private
architects for various marine structures.
(3) A concrete ramp at Cherry Street, Yau Ma Tei, for lorry traffic. (4) A wave deflector at Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island, to protect
the foreshore.
(5) Four additional sets of landing steps at the Kellet Island
causeway.
(6) Five 50-ton mooring blocks for the Marine Department.
(7) The demolition of the remaining portions of Victoria Permanent
Pier No. 18 and New Kowloon Permanent Pier No. 6.
(8) The reconstruction of part of the Stanley Public Pier and the
provision of landing steps.
Surveys
229. Progress and check surveys were made at regular intervals at public and refuse dumps to control the dumping.
230. Other miscellaneous surveys carried out included:
(1) Soundings before and after dredging at various storm water
drain and nullah outfalls inside the harbour.
(2) A survey of the shoreline and seabed at Hoi Ha in Tolo Harbour
for the Sand Monopoly prior to removal of sand.
(3) Tidal stream observations and detailed survey of foreshore and seabed for tentative positions of breakwaters to transform Aberdeen Harbour into a typhoon shelter.
(4) A shoreline survey from Ngau Tau Kok to Kwun Tong and a
hydrographic survey of the whole area to be reclaimed.
(5) Soundings surveys at Rambler Channel for re-siting beacons, and in the Southern Fairway of Hong Kong Harbour before and after the demolition of underwater rocks.
(6) A survey of the seabed before the dredging of a trench for the 66-inch diameter submarine outfall of the Wan Chai Sewerage Scheme.
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(7) Current observations in the eastern part of the Hong Kong
Harbour for the construction of a tidal model.
(8) Sounding surveys for the siting of two vehicular ferry piers at
Kowloon Bay and North Point.
(9) A seabed survey from Aberdeen to Ap Lei Chau for a 6-inch
cross-harbour fresh water main.
(10) A survey of the foreshore with soundings at Ma Wan, Kap Shui
Mun, for the extension of the existing pier.
(11) Routine surveys for pier leases and permits.
(12) A shoreline survey around Chek Lap Kok Island and Tung Chung Bay to establish control points for the Hydrographic survey of the Channel and the approaches to the proposed pier.
Materials Testing
MATERIALS TESTING LABORATORY
231. 11,239 tests were carried out in the laboratory and included : (1) 5,693 tests on concrete for compressive strengths and moduli of
rupture.
(2) 293 tests on the physical properties of various cements from
Palestine, Japan, India and Rumania.
(3) 2,038 tests on aggregate for gradations, crushing strengths, specific
gravities, bulk densities and organic impurities.
(4) 976 tests on mild steel rods for tensile strengths, percentage
elongations under failing loads and characteristics when bent cold. (5) 1,051 tests on the physical properties of bitumen and analyses of
bituminous road mixtures by the hot extraction methods.
(6) 1,156 tests on various types of soil for the classification and estimation of bearing capacities and coefficients of permeability. (7) Thirty two miscellaneous tests on hollow tiles, precast sand-
cement blocks, wood-wool boards and bricks.
232. In addition to routine tests, investigations were made into : (1) temperature changes in concrete road slabs covered with bitumi-
nous surfacings of various thickness;
(2) local laterite soils for their California Bearing ratio values and
stabilization by hydrated lime;
(3) the suitability of iron mine wastes as fine aggregate for concrete
making.
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233. The following new testing machines and apparatus were installed:
(1) One Avery type 7111 200-ton compression machine.
(2) One set 3" x 6" Vane Test equipment for soil in-situ shear
strength test.
(3) Three Cambridge Automatic Thermoelectrical Recorders.
(4) One set Leonard Farell 10 ml Sampling Pipette for Sedimentation
analysis.
(5) One Gallenkamp Universal Water Bath.
Site Investigation by Boring
234. The two boring gangs attached to the laboratory carried out work as follows:
(1) Marine Boring-114 boreholes with a total penetration of 2,616 feet at Shau Kei Wan, Aberdeen, Tong Mi Road Reclamation, Kwun Tong Reclamation Stage III, Lamma Island, Asiatic Petroleum Company's Pier at Kwun Tong, Cheung Sha Wan Reclamation, Gin Drinker's Bay, and new Vehicular Ferry Pier site at North Point.
(2) Land Boring-131 boreholes with a total penetration of 3,221 feet at Ngau Chai Ridge, Tong Mi Road and Kwun Tong Police Station.
235. The old boring barge 'L. 21' returned to the Marine Department for scrapping on 8th December and on 18th March this office took over a self-propelled barge, 70 feet x 16 feet, fitted with a 10-H.P. Petter A.V. 2 engine for operating the boring rigs. A set of Standard Penetra- tion Test equipment together with a new 4-inch earth auger, 200 feet of drilling rods and 250 feet of 6-inch diameter steel casing was acquired.
ROADS OFFICE
Chief Engineer, F. A. Fisher, B.Sc.. LL.B., A.M.I.C.E.
GENERAL
236. The continued intensive development of the Colony required further extensions and improvements to the road system to serve new areas and give improved access.
237. Construction of seven miles of new road brought the total length of roads in the Colony to 491 miles and in addition building commenced on further nine miles. Existing roads resurfaced or rebuilt
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to a higher specification totalled some forty miles and six new bridges were built to replace old and weak structures.
238. Work undertaken by the office included the provision of eight miles of footpaths (many miles of country roads being without this amenity), a large pedestrian subway under Connaught Road Central opposite the 'Star' Ferry Pier, and nine hard tennis courts for a public recreation ground.
239. About $25,000,000 was spent on the maintenance and construc- tion of roads and bridges.
240. Dr. G. Charlesworth, Head of the Traffic & Economics Section of the Traffic and Safety Division of the Roads Research Laboratory visited the Colony in May to study urban road problems and made recommendations which have formed the basis of much of the work of the newly formed Traffic Engineering Section.
241. The office is organized into various sections on a regional or functional basis, and the work of these sections is given in more detail.
CITY ROADS, VICTORIA
242. The extension of Tin Hau Temple Road involved one mile of road with a 22-foot carriageway and 10-foot footpath. Some very heavy rock cutting added to the difficulties of construction.
243. Short lengths of new road have also been constructed in So Kon Po, at Smithfield and for the new Tung Wah Hospital School and Jockey Club School.
244. It proved necessary to rebuild a number of roads with heavier pavements to suit the increased volume of traffic, in particular sections. of Pedder Street, Des Voeux Road, Lockhart Road and Ice House Street, and to resurface a number of others with a carpet of bituminous macadam.
245. Nine En-tout-cas tennis courts laid down in Victoria Park with a green surface proved extremely popular with the public.
ISLAND ROADS, OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS
246. A new concrete road at Fortress Hill was built to link King's Road with the extension of Tin Hau Temple Road.
247. The formation and surfacing of roads in the Chai Wan Develop- ment Scheme was completed.
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248. The many road reconstructions undertaken included Pok Fu Lam Road from the City Boundary to the Queen Mary Hospital.
249. Suitable valley sites were selected to take the extraordinary daily volume of over 1,000 cubic yards of spoil resulting from private and public site formation; toe retaining walls were built, stream courses were culverted and the valleys filled, thereby creating useful areas of ground and improving road alignments.
KOWLOON ROADS
250. The work of widening several miles of the Castle Peak Road to dual carriageway width commenced with a contract for the section from Lai Chi Kok Hospital to Lai Chi Kok Gap. Improvement of the alignment required very large excavations and fillings but the work progressed rapidly.
251. The entire re-design and re-construction of the ferry concourse at Tsim Sha Tsui followed the completion of the new Star Ferry pier. 252. Construction of part of the Clearwater Bay Road on its new alignment round the perimeter of the new Kai Tak Airport provided a dual carriageway, cycle tracks and footpaths.
NEW TERRITORIES ROADS
253. Minor roads giving access to the more remote parts formed the bulk of New Territories' road works.
254. On the south of Lantao Island work started on the extension of the recently completed road to Cheung Sha towards Shek Pik, the site of the proposed dam. This work is nearing completion.
255. Other minor roads completed or put in hand included those at Sai Kung, Lin Fa Tei, Sap Pat Heung and Ping Tze.
256. A new road was built from the highest point of the military road TWSK to the top portion of the existing road to the summit of Tai Mo Shan.
257. Three miles of Clearwater Bay Road from Hang Hau to Clear- water Bay, released by the Military Authorities were re-constructed and re-surfaced.
258. At Yuen Long the dual carriageway was extended by about 900 feet to serve the further development of the town.
259. A new sea wall was built on the seaward side of the old causeway to widen Tai Po Causeway to 100 feet, with provision for a second carriageway when necessary.
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BRIDGES AND SUBWAYS
260. Kam Tin Bridge was rebuilt as a concrete bridge of three 40-foot spans, replacing the section washed away in the 1957 rainstorms.
261. Four new minor bridges in the New Territories replaced temporary over-bridges and Bailey bridges.
262. All the new bridges are designed to full Ministry of Transport load specifications.
263. Deflection tests carried out on several bridges resulted in Bridge No. 45 at Sha Tin being strengthened by the addition of a new reinforced concrete deck placed over the top of the old one and although originally given a military rating of only 9, two heavy boilers on low loaders each. giving a total load of approximately 50 tons successfully crossed over; deflection tests showed a maximum of only 1/20,000th of an inch.
264. A new steel truss bridge of 50-foot span replaced the old 15-foot span girder bridge carrying the Peak Tramway over Kennedy Road, to give greater head-room for traffic besides permitting the road to be widened. The work involved a temporary bridge, diversion of the tram and raising the level of the main track some 8 feet. The pulley work necessary for the cables hauling the trams complicated the work.
265. A pedestrian subway was built under Connaught Road Central to carry pedestrian traffic from the Star Ferry piers across Connaught Road into the centre of town without obstructing vehicular traffic. The subway is 135 feet long with an easy ramp at each end and 27 feet wide. The whole of the work took 4 months. Approximately 80,000 people pass through this subway daily.
TRAFFIC
266. The Traffic Engineering Section, augmented by additional staff, carried out detailed traffic studies of arterial and junction flow as the basis for a Main Route Plan, Street Improvement Schemes and Junction Improvement Designs for Kowloon.
267. The Section also gathered similar data for a Main Route Plan for Victoria and drafted a large number of City Street Widening Schemes and proposals for multi-storey garage parking.
268. This office prepared about two dozen possible schemes for improving the Garden Road-Queen's Road--Murray Road complex, and from these made a tentative selection of one involving twin over- passes from Garden Road into Murray Road and Jackson Road.
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269. Work progressed rapidly on the installation of new and improved traffic signs to conform with new legislation.
270. Detailed planning started on the new waterfront through- way from Connaught Road to King's Road recommended by Dr. Charlesworth, and on a coastal road at Shau Kei Wan, and drawings were prepared.
271. This office gave advice on the provision of roads for a large number of Town Planning Layouts.
STREET LIGHTING
272. The improvement and extension of public street lighting continued with the installation of almost 1,000 new lamps and the replacement of a number of gas and low-powered electric lamps by modern and more powerful ones.
273. Over 200 illuminated traffic signs were installed.
QUARRIES
274. The quarries operated by the Roads Office with direct labour produced over 235,000 tons of crushed stone and premixed macadam. Experiments were made on a number of bituminous mixes at Mount Butler Quarry where the plant permitted a wide variety of materials to be manufactured.
275. The installation of new mixing plant commenced at Hok Yuen Quarry.
276. The Tai Lam Chung Scheme provided a large amount of second-hand plant. The installation of some of this plant and the more efficient operation of the quarries resulted in a steady increase of production.
277. The following table shows the output from the three quarries over the last three years:
Quarry
Crushed Stone (tons) 1956/57 1957/58 1958/59
Bituminous Mixes (tons) 1956/57 1957/58 1958/59
Tsat Tze Mui
89,953
22,107
Hok Yuen
113,287
93.089 112,225
32.212
37,303 39,957
Mount Butler
*11,821
94,780
122,961
+2,119
30,899 41,248
Total ..
215.061
187,869
235,186
56,438
68,202 81,205
Commenced crushing in December 1956.
✦ Commenced making bituminous mixes in January 1957.
278. The Tsat Tze Mui Quarry finally closed down. The area is being planned for high density housing.
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WATERWORKS OFFICE
Waterworks Engineer,
T. O. Morgan, B.Sc., A.M.I.C.E. Assistant Waterworks Engineer (Construction), C. I. Wilks, A.M.I.C.E., M.I.W.E.
Assistant Waterworks Engineer (Distribution), A. W. P. Cox, A.M.I.C.E.. A.M.I.Mun.E.
GENERAL
279. With the creation of an additional senior post of Assistant Waterworks Engineer the work of the office was split into two sections. (a) Maintenance and Distribution and (b) Construction.
MAINTENANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
280. The expected increase in demand for water materialized, due to continued industrial expansion and an accelerated rate of construction of multi-storied domestic and office blocks. The quantity of water required for new resettlement estates also greatly increased.
281. Rainfall for the quarter ending the 30th June was much below average, and a leak in the Tai Lam Chung supply tunnel put it out of commission for repairs from 25th April to 15th May. During this period only five hours supply daily (from 25th April, 1958 to 1st May, 1958) and four hours supply daily (from 2nd May, 1958 to 15th May, 1958) could be given. The enforced storage in the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir due to the closure of the tunnel made a 10-hour daily supply possible from 16th May until 9th July. The storage position then indicated the need to return to the 5-hour daily supply period and this remained in force until 31st July. Fortunately, very heavy rain fell in the last few days of July and the Island reservoirs, 40% full on the 25th, all over- flowed on the 31st. The above average rainfall, especially in September, permitted a 10-hour daily supply from 2nd August to 26th November, with intermittent periods of 164 hours. All reservoirs with the exception of Tai Lam Chung overflowed on the 3rd October, giving a water storage of almost exactly 10,000 million gallons, but with the dry season ahead it seemed advisable to reduce the daily supply hours to eight on 27th November to avoid the possibility of severe restrictions at the end of the dry season. Even so, in spite of an abnormally wet February, it became necessary to reduce the daily supply hours to three on 14th March and this restriction still remained in force at the end of the period under review. The usual full supply came into force over Chinese New Year.
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and supply continued for seventeen hours daily over Christmas and New Year.
Rainfall
SUPPLY
282. The Royal Observatory recorded 79.90 inches of rainfall for the year, which is 4.84 less than the average of 84.74. Nineteen rain gauges are located in the various waterworks catchment areas and they recorded an average of 80.23 inches. Monthly variations were above normal, the rainfall for September being twice, and that for February five times, the
• average for these months.
Storage
283. Water stored in the impounding reservoirs at various dates is shown below:
Remarks
Including 1,700 million
Date
April 1st, 1958
Quantity in
Million Gallons
4,584
gallons in Tai
Lam
Chung.
July 16th, 1958
3,189
Minimum (30.5%)
September 14th, 1958
10,052
Maximum (96.0%)
April 1st, 1959
4,300
Including 1,401 million gallons in Tai Lam
Chung.
284. On only three days, from 1st to 3rd October, did all reservoirs with the exception of Tai Lam Chung overflow to waste simultaneously; on two days at the end of July all the Island reservoirs overflowed but none of the Mainland reservoirs were full. The greatest quantity stored in the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir totalled 4,107 million gallons, on the 14th September (maximum capacity 4,507 million gallons).
Consumption
285. Water supplied to the urban areas reached 19,475 million gallons and the New Territories areas 597 million gallons, increases of 823 and 97 million gallons, respectively, over the previous year. The number of hours of supply totalled 3,529 as compared with 5,078 in 1957/58, being an average of 9.7 hours per day compared with 13.9 per day.
286. The 83.9 million gallons consumed on the 4th September when the Colony once again received a full supply exceeded the previous record consumption in any one day. The previous record, which occurred last year, was 73.08 million gallons.
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Distribution
287. Despite the greater consumption and the more concentrated demand due to shorter supply hours, the improvements made to the distribution system and the practice of feeding zoned areas at different times of the day resulted in reasonably equitable distribution, although some complaints (especially when the new restrictions started) could not be avoided. The programme of providing new mains and sub-mains to meet new development and to replace old encrusted pipes continued.
Water Analysis
288. The Government Pathologist and Chemist continued to test samples of water taken regularly from service reservoirs and consumers' taps. Generally, the water maintained a satisfactory standard, but when samples did not reach this required standard of purity the cause of pollution was traced and corrective action taken.
289. Of 353 samples taken from service reservoirs, 344 or 97% came up to the required standard, that is to say they showed an absence of coliform organism in 100 cc. The cause of eight of the nine bad samples was traced and after treatment samples proved satisfactory. No specific cause could be traced for the remaining sample, but after precautionary measures had been taken subsequent samples were satisfactory.
290. Of 1,395 samples taken from consumers' taps, 1,318 (represent- ing 94%) were found to be satisfactory. All the unsatisfactory samples, with the exception of three for which no explanation was found, were due to defects in inside services and in all cases, after repairs and sterilization, repeat samples were satisfactory. The corresponding figures for 1957/58 were 1,118 samples, of which 1,050 (94%) were satisfactory.
Pumping
291. The following table shows the quantity of raw and filtered water pumping compared with the previous year:
1958/59 1957/58
Increase
Raw Water Million Gallons
Filtered Water Million Gallons
Total
Million Gallons
9,801
8,023
17,824
8,567
7,841
16,408
1,234
182
1,416
292. The total quantity pumped was about 9% greater than during
the previous year.
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Waste Detection
293. The increased activity of the Waste Detection organization, mentioned in last year's Report, continued and nearly the whole of the I urban areas has been systematically divided into zones and checked for
leakage.
294. Items repaired and retested until satisfactory included defective valves, stopcocks, house connexions, etc. Work also continued on tracing - visible leaks, checking cases of high consumption, preventing the use of water for unauthorized purposes and attending to complaints. Total leakages traced and dealt with amounted to approximately 50,000 gallons per hour. The checking of restriction valves and selected premises 3 also helped to reduce as far as possible leakage into service during
restriction periods.
Metered Services
295. The demand for new metered services continued at a high rate, 2,950 being installed on the Mainland, and 1,692 on the Island. The following table shows the position over the last three years:
Year
1956/57 ...
1957/58
1958/59 ...
New Meters Installed
Meters in
Total
Mainland
Island
Service
4,756
2,452 7,208
57,305
4,033
2,621
6,654
63,959
2,950
1,692
4,642
68,601
296. The reduction in numbers of new meters did not reflect a reduction in new consumers but rather an increased provision of multi- storied buildings. In large apartment blocks where individual flats are sold off, responsibility for repairs to the inside service cannot be placed on one guarantor and as separate meters to each flat are not permitted, the number of consumers sharing common meters has increased.
Workshops
297. The enlarged workshop labour force mentioned in last year's Report remained fully engaged during the year. 2,178 jobs were under- taken, an increase of 9.3% over the previous year; these included 247 orders for other Government Departments and the overhaul of 45,701 meters, representing 71% of all meters in service at the beginning of the year.
Mainlaying
298. Mainlaying continued on extensions to serve new development, alterations arising from road reconstruction, replacement of defective
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pipes and enlargement of undersized pipes where inadequate pressures existed.
299. The total of 286,000 feet of new mains varying between 2-inch and 18-inch included:
Hong Kong Island :
(1) Elliot Service Reservoir to Swithfield-18′′, 12′′ and 10′′ diameter mains to replace an 8′′ main and to improve supply; this met the_requirements of the Housing Authority's new housing estate at Cadogan Street;
(2) Tin Hau Temple Road-18′′ trunk feed to the new North Point
Service Reservoir in conjunction with road works;
(3) North Point-In Tin Chiu Street between King's Road and Kai
Yuen Terrace to improve pressures in the area;
(4) Java Road-A 6′′ main from Tin Chiu Street for about 700 feet
eastward, to supply new development;
(5) Various sizes of mains in the following roads, in conjunction with
reconstruction work:
Mainland:
Connaught Road; Des Voeux Road; Robinson Road; Bowen Road;
Lockhart Road;
Shau Kei Wan Main Road.
(1) Approximately 1,000 feet of 18-inch pipes in Cox's Road to improve
the supply in the Observatory Hill area.
(2) Approximately 1,800 feet of 12-inch pipes in Waterloo Road to
improve the supply in the Ho Man Tin area.
(3) Approximately 2,000 feet of 18-inch and 15-inch pipes to supply
the Kwun Tong Reclamation and Housing Zone area.
(4) Approximately 1,250 feet of 8-inch pipes in Yim Po Fong Street
to improve supply to the Mong Kok area.
(5) Approximately 8,000 feet of 8-inch pipes at Tai Po, and
(6) 9,000 feet of 6-inch pipes at Fan Ling to improve supplies.
Service Reservoirs
300. All service reservoirs were cleaned and inspected, and no major repairs were required. Inlet and outlet valves were tested and overhauled where necessary. At the Lai Chi Kok Service Reservoir a 12-inch by-pass was laid to connect the inlet and outlet mains. This enabled a supply to Tsuen Wan to be maintained with water from the Jubilee Reservoir during the period when water supply ceased from Tai Lam Chung due to repairs to the tunnel.
Catchwaters
301. Silt and minor slips were cleared from catchwaters. No major repairs were necessary, but leaks in the invert of Shing Mun Catchwater had to be repaired. A measuring flume has been built and a flow recorder installed in that catchwater.
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Lear
New Pumping Plant
302. Cheung Chau Island. The installation of an additional pumpset ordered in 1957 together with its ancillary equipment doubled the capacity of the pumping station and permitted a much improved supply to the Island.
Supply Tunnels
303. During April a considerable leakage developed from the tunnel carrying raw water from the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir at a point where it emerges from the hillside to join a steel pipeline at Sham Tseng. The tunnel had to be put out of service while the concrete lining was repaired and the surrounding rock drilled and grouted. These repairs did not prove completely successful and further leaks in December again put the tunnel out of action. In addition to further extensive grouting, a 30-inch diameter steel pipe was laid in the tunnel to link the portal to a point beyond the doubtful section, a distance of approximately 400 feet. The work proceeded non-stop for twenty four hours a day and took twenty two days to complete.
Tsuen Wan Supply
304. The laying of mains continued as an extension to the distribu- tion system.
Kwun Tong Development, Stages I and II and Housing Zone No. 1
305. Work continued on the laying of mains and sub-mains forming the distribution system for Housing Zone 1 and the reclamation.
Tai Lam Chung Scheme
306. The installation of an additional pump set of 10 million gallons per day in the Tsuen Wan Pumping Station enabled the second half of the filter station completed in 1957/58 to be used, and increased the capacity of the system to about 35 million gallons a day. 5,951 million gallons were supplied from this scheme over the whole year an average of about 16 million gallons a day.
307. Further notes on this scheme are given in the Construction Section of this Report.
Waterworks Staff Quarters
Filtration staff occupied a new 3-storied block of quarters at wan, and reservoir maintenance staff took over quarters at Tai Chung from the Chief Resident Engineer. New quarters at the Pok
308 Tsuen Lam
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Fu Lam Filters and the Elliot Pumping Station were designed, and site formation work started on the former.
Supplies to Resettlement Estates
309. Satisfactory supplies to estates built during the year proved possible despite the considerably increased demand on the system. A 40,000-gallon tank and pumping installation to serve the Tai Wo Ping Resettlement Area was completed.
310. The provision of salt water pumped from the sea solved the problem of supplying flushing water to these estates, and work started on several schemes. The total designed capacity of these schemes came to over 22 million gallons per day.
Fluoridation
311. The decision that the Colony's supply should be fluoridated required details investigations into equipment, and the necessary orders were placed during the year.
Revenue and Expenditure
312. This office sent out the usual quarterly water accounts and rendered supplementary and miscellaneous accounts as due. About 260,160 water accounts were dealt with, compared to 236,753 in the previous year. Water rates remained unchanged at $0.80 per 1,000 gallons for domestic and trade supplies, and $2.00 per 1,000 gallons for supplies to shipping and for construction purposes.
Tai Lam Chung Scheme
NEW CONSTRUCTIONS
313. Progress on the outstanding work at the Tai Lam Chung Scheme was satisfactory, and the opposition of villagers to the construc- tion of the Northern Group of catchwaters was overcome by patient negotiation and explanation. Particulars of the various items are as follows:
(1) Building work at Tsuen Wan Pumping Station finished but due to technical difficulties the delivery of the remaining pump sets was delayed; the installation of one of the three outstanding pumps brought the pumping capacity up to 35 million gallons a day as against a final target of 55 million gallons a day;
(2) The second 36-inch diameter, 2,200 feet long, rising main was
laid from the pump house to the filters;
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(3) The first half of the 6-million gallon service reservoir at Ngau
Tau Kok and the 24-inch outlet main was completed, and work proceeded satisfactorily on the second half of the reservoir;
(4) The second half of the 20-million gallon capacity Lai Chi Kok
Service Reservoir neared completion;
(5) Work started on the 74-million gallon High Level Service Reservoir No. 2 at Kau Wa Keng to complete the original plan for high level storage;
(6) The laying of 7,600 feet of 30-inch diameter steel pipes completed the trunk main supplying the Ngau Tau Kok Service Reservoir, and the laying of 4,000 feet of a total length of 18,000 feet of a second 30-inch diameter outlet main from the Lai Chi Kok Service Reservoir brought a supply of Tai Lam Chung water into the Sham Shui Po area.
(7) Contracts let included one for about 34,000 feet of catchwater and river protection works, and one for 5,200 feet of catchwater tunnel. Works completed included five miles of catchwater, one mile of tunnel and two miles of access roads. Preliminary work started on a further three and a half miles of catchwater. (8) The pre-chlorination plant at Tai Lam Chung was brought into
use in June 1958.
Deep Well Investigation-New Territories
314. Nine additional deep well bores were completed in the New Territories at Chuk Yuen, Tai Po, Fan Ling, Sheung Shui, Sek Kong, Ping Shan and Mai Po. Depths between 80 and 200 feet were reached, and only six of these yielded water and then only in limited quantities.
315. The results of the investigations over the past two years has confirmed that no large underground sources of water exist in the New Territories which could be tapped to augment the Colony's water supply. The programme of experimental bore holes was therefore concluded.
Salt Water Flushing Scheme
316. Work commenced on six separate schemes to substitute salt water for fresh water for flushing purposes. The schemes are con- centrated in areas of new development, Housing Authority sites and resettlement estates; particulars of the individual schemes are as follows:
(1) Cheung Sha Wan
Work on a pumping station began at Cheung Sha Wan to pump to two separate service reservoirs at Piper's Hill and Tai Wo Ping. From the service reservoirs the flushing water will be distributed
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to the So Uk Housing Estate and the Li Cheng Uk, Shek Kip Mei and Tai Hang Tung Resettlement Estates. Excavation for the 2-million gallon service reservoir at Piper's Hill and the 3-million gallon service reservoir at Tai Wo Ping began, and 2,000 feet of 12-inch diameter supply main was laid.
(2) Wong Tai Sin
A pumping station inside Kai Tak Airport will supply two service reservoirs at Lo Fu Ngam and Wong Tai Sin, which will in turn distribute the flushing water to the resettlement estates in these areas. The piling of the pump house went to tender, excavation work began on the 2-million gallon service reservoir at Lo Fu Ngam, tenders were called for the 5-million gallon service reservoir at Wong Tai Sin and 1,000 feet of 18-inch diameter delivery pipes were laid.
(3) Jordan Valley
Work began on a 90-foot high concrete gravity dam in the Jordan Valley to impound 54 million gallons of water to supply the Jordan Valley Resettlement Estate with flushing water. In the rainy season supplies will come from the stream courses to be supplemented in the dry season by sea water pumped from a pump house at Ngau Tau Kok.
(4) Kwun Tong
Similar arrangements will be made for the supply of flushing water for the Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate, and the construc- tion of the dam went to contract. 2,500 feet of 18-inch diameter pipeline, part of the delivery main from the pump house site to the dam, was laid.
(5) North Point
Two service reservoirs will supply the flushing needs of the existing development in the North Point area and future high level development off Tin Hau Temple Road. The formation of an access road enabled a 'contract to be let for the construction of the high level 4-million gallon service reservoir. (6) Chai Wan
A scheme was started at Chai Wan to serve the resettlement estate and adjoining areas. Site formation for a 1-million gallon service reservoir was completed and pumping plant has been ordered. Half of the rising main from the pump house sited on Chai Wan Reclamation has been laid.
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Service Reservoirs
317. (1) Tai Po Road
Excavation work neared completion at Piper's Hill, the site of a 3-million gallon service reservoir to supply So Uk Housing Estate and adjoining high level development.
(2) King's Park
Excavation work started on a 6-million gallon service reservoir to augment the supply to Tsim Sha Tsui, now served by the overloaded Yau Ma Tei Service Reservoir.
North Point Water Supply
318. The extension of the Tin Hau Temple Road allowed excavation works to begin on the site of a 5-million gallon service reservoir to replace the one serving the rapidly developing low level area at North Point. An access road was formed to enable excavation work to begin on a second and higher service reservoir of 1-million gallon capacity, to supply the areas opened up by the Tin Hau Temple Road extension. Aberdeen Water Supply, Stage 1
319. Excavation work was completed on the site of a new 5-million gallon service reservoir beside the existing slow sand filters, to meet increasing demand in Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau, and a contract was let for the construction of the first half of it. Rapid gravity filtration equipment of 5 million gallons per day capacity was ordered, to replace the slow sand filters. Special 6-inch diameter steel pipes arrived from United Kingdom to replace the 3-inch submarine supply main to Ap Lei Chau.
Western New Territories Supply, Stage I
320. The 1-million gallon service reservoir at Tai Lam Chung neared completion and the 4 miles long 8-inch diameter trunk main reached Castle Peak Market and San Hui.
Western New Territories Supply, Stage II
321. The purpose of this stage of the overall plan for the Western New Territories Supply is to bring raw water through a new 15-inch diameter pipeline from Tai Lam Chung along the Castle Peak Road towards Yuen Long. At Lam Tei a pumping station will raise the raw water to a new filtration plant and 2-million gallon service reservoir on the hills above. From there the water will gravitate to Ping Shan, Yuen Long, Kam Tin and the Military areas at Sek Kong.
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322. Three miles of 15-inch pipeline were laid from Tai Lam Chung, work began on the access road and site formation for the service reservoir and filters and on construction of the pump house at Lam Tei started, and three and a half miles of 10-inch and 8-inch diameter distribution pipes were laid to link Yuen Long to Sek Kong.
Shek Pik Scheme
323. The test section of grouting in the foundations of the dam proved successful and it was decided to proceed with the full scheme. 324. Work started on access roads, staff quarters and other buildings. and the piling work forming part of the grout curtain cut-off to the dam progressed well. Negotiations for the resettlement of the villagers of Shek Pik and Fan Pui, whose present homes and fields must be cleared from the reservoir area, made slow but steady progress.
325. Survey work on the access roads and catchwaters began after survey camps had been set up. Sites selected included those for a pump- ing station and the rapid gravity filtration plant near Pui O on Lantao Island, a pumping station and balance tank at Sandy Bay on Hong Kong Island together with a 30-million gallon and a 5-million gallon service reservoir at Mount Davis to receive the water delivered from Lantao by submarine pipelines.
326. The survey for the underwater pipeline from Lantao to Hong Kong went to contract, and invitations for tenders for construction of the Shek Pik Dam, including the overflow spillway and diversion tunnel, went out on a world-wide basis.
Plover Cove and Hebe Haven Schemes
327. Last year's Report referred to the possible conversion of sea inlets into fresh water lakes. This led to two sites being investigated at Plover Cove and Hebe Haven. The proposals in both cases are similar and entail the construction of barriers or dams at the sea inlet and pumping out sea water, allowing the reservoir so formed to fill up with fresh water from the natural catchment and with water brought in by catchwater and tunnel from adjoining areas. The Consulting Engineers were asked to prepare feasibility reports on both these schemes, and their report on Plover Cove was completed during the year and is now being studied.
Irrigation Works
328. In addition to repairs to existing schemes necessitated by rainstorms, this office undertook a considerable amount of new work
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including the construction of eighty five diversion dams and approxi- mately 88,000 feet of concrete lined irrigation channel.
329. The construction of catchwaters requires compensatory measures for villagers where streams feeding their cultivated areas are intercepted by the new catchwater channels. To this end, as part of the Tai Lam Chung catchwaters scheme, work started on two dams at Tsing Tam (at the head of the valley above Kam Tin) to store 30 million gallons. A possible site for another dam of 120-million gallon capacity at Ho Pui was investigated. Work started on irrigation works connected with the Shek Pik Scheme, and two diversion dams approached completion on Lantao.
Miscellaneous and Minor Works
330. New Territories Supply
(1) Tai O Supply
The completion of this scheme, described in last year's Report, has enabled 100 consumers to receive metered supplies.
(2) Tai Po Supply
To improve the inadequate water pressure in the town of Tai Po, work commenced on laying a new 8-inch diameter pipe from the existing stream intake; about 8,000 feet of a total length of 15,000 feet was laid.
(3) Fan Ling
A small concrete dam was built and three miles of 6-inch diameter pipeline laid from the Fan Ling stream intake to the Fan Ling Cross Roads, to increase storage capacity and improve Fan Ling's water supply.
KAI TAK AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT
Consulting Engineers: Messrs. Scott & Wilson, Kirkpatrick & Partners.
331. The contractors for forming the reclamation and constructing the new runway completed their contract to time on 26th August; the new runway came into commission on 31st August and was formally opened by His Excellency the Governor on 12th September. This con- tract is believed to have been the largest single civil engineering contract in the history of the Colony. The Societe Francaise d'Entreprises de Dragages et de Travaux Publics undertook the main contract, and Messrs. Gammon (Malaya) Limited, the chief sub-contract.
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332. Of the other civil engineering contracts the largest covered the construction of the new terminal apron and was awarded in July. Additional works led to the completion date being extended by twenty eight days to 26th June, 1959, and at the end of March work was pro- gressing to programme. The contract for the nullah re-alignment and bridges, awarded in January 1958, proceeded throughout to programme. By the end of March the new nullah was completed, the three bridges across it had been built, and the contract neared completion. In January a small contract was let for the fabrication and erection of steel gantries and pylons to support the airport lighting on the curved north-west approach. Work has progressed very satisfactorily.
333. The contract for the airport operational lighting and electrical installation, prepared by Messrs. Preece, Cardew and Rider, and awarded in February 1958 to the General Electric Company, made very good progress and by the end of March neared completion.
334. Building work, for which Messrs. Ramsey, Murray, White and Ward prepared sketch plans and for which Mr. W. W. C. Shewan of Eric Cumine prepared working drawings and contracts, comprised a contract for the new Airport Fire Station and a temporary Control Tower, and another contract for the new Freight Building (adapted to serve as a temporary Terminal Building) and Air Mail Centre. The former contract finished to time, concurrently with the completion of the new runway. Work on latter contract, due for completion on 8th August, 1959, is proceeding satisfactorily.
335. Future work on the airport coming under the direction of the Consulting Engineers comprises the new Terminal Building and parking apron for aircraft in the Maintenance Area. The sketch plans of the Terminal Building were approved with modifications, and working drawings were started. Messrs. J. Roger Preston & Partners drew up a contract for the air-conditioning of the building and by the end of March this had nearly reached the tendering stage. In December, the Consulting Engineers were asked to prepare a report on the overall layout of the parking apron in the Maintenance Area, and subsequently to prepare a contract for the first stage of its development.
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES
Consulting Engineers: Messrs. Scott & Wilson, Kirkpatrick & Partners. 336. In June the Consultants submitted feasibility reports on a reclamation at Tai Po, a road over Lead Mine Pass and a Kowloon
60
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Foothills road. Similar reports on reclamations at Gin Drinker's Bay and Sha Tin were ready in February and March, respectively. By the end of March, work on the two remaining development reports (Junk Bay and Castle Peak) were well advanced.
337. In June, the Consulting Engineers were asked to report on the reprovisioning of the Kai Tak Rifle Range at a site in the Shing Mun Valley, but by October this project had been abandoned.
338. In October, the Consulting Engineers were instructed to prepare a contract for the Kowloon Foothills road, and by the end of March this contract approached the tendering stage.
EXPENDITURE
339. The total expenditure under all heads including works carried out by Consultants amounted to $201,004,000 compared with $174,614,000 for the previous year. Major public works (including Colonial Develop- ment and Welfare Schemes, local development projects and $29,092,000 on recurrent maintenance) accounted for some $145,026,000 of this amount. Administrative costs, salaries and other charges accounted for $26,886,000.
340. The following comparative statement, illustrated graphically on the following page, shows expenditure on Public Works during the year 1950/51 to 1958/59.
Financial Year
Personal Emolu- ments & other
charges
Recurrent Expenditure
Non-Recurrent
Total
$
$
$
$
1950/51...
4,051,000
14,473,000
28,324,000
46,848,000
1951/52
7,401,000
14,937,000
25,010,000
47,348,000
1952/53
12,742,000
17,887,000
44,971,000
75,600,000
1953/54
16,277,000
19,629,000
39,146,000
75,052,000
1954/55.
16,888,000
17,480,000
48,477,000
82,845,000
1955/56...
18,646,000
18,629,000
86,215,000
123,490,000
1956/57
21,048,000
21,113,000
118,051,000
160,212,000
1957/58 ...
22,957,000
30,563,000
121,094,000
174,614,000
1958/59
26,886,000
29,092,000
145,026,000
201,004,000
1959/60...
34,459,000
30,970,000
185,102,000 250.531,000
(Estimated)
REVENUE
341. Revenue collected by the Department totalled $54,977,000, the principle items being premia from sales of Crown land $28,239,000, fees for temporary occupation of similar land $2,982,000 sale of water
61
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GRAPHIC SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
EXPENDITURE FOR THE TEN YEARS 1950/51 to 1958/59
AND ESTIMATED FOR 1959/60
260
250-
NOTE. THAT PORTION OF THE GRAPH HATCHED THUS
INDICATES THE
EXPENDITURE ON THE TAI LAM CHUNG WATER SUPPLY SCHEME
260
· 250
240-
· 240
THAT PORTION HATCHED [[]]]] INDICATES THE EXPENDITURE ON THE
230-
230
KAI TAK AIR PORT DEVELOPMENT SCHEME
220
220
210-
PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS AND OTHER CHARGES SHEWN THUS
RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
200-
NORMAL NON - RECURRINT EXPENDITURE
TOTAL, NON - RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
· •
190-
OVERALL EXPENDITURE
180-
170
-210
•
200
· 190
180
170
160
EXPENDITURE IN
8 ö
100-
Z 120-
MILLIONS OF H. K. $
140-
130-
888
180-
150-
Expenditure
(Non-Recurrent ● Recurrent & Personal Emoluments.)
Kal Tak & Tai Lom
70-
Overall
40-
50
40-
30-
- Recurrent
Expenditure,
including
Non - Recurrent Expenditure
20-
Recurrent Expenditure
10-
Personal Emolumenti
Other Charges
1950/51 1951/52 1952/53 1953/54
1954/53
1998/34
1956/57
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-40
30
+20
FIO
150
140
130
† 120
-- 100
Fo
F80
70
$13,446,000, sale of crushed stone $4,085,000 and other receipts $6,225,000.
Canteens
STAFF WELFARE
342. Those officers accommodated in the Central Government Offices enjoyed the amenities of the communal canteen on the lower ground floor, and the Waterworks canteen at the Bullock Lane Depot continued to prove popular.
Sports, Picnics, etc.
343. The 'Littlejohn' cup for golf resulted in some keen matches, the winner Mr. E. D. Robbins and the runner-up, the late Mr. P. B. Allam, both being members of the Buildings Ordinance Office.
344. Good singles and doubles competitions also took place in the league for the table tennis trophy presented by the same donor, Mr. N. K. Littlejohn.
345. The series for the 'R. H. Woodman Challenge Cup' for miniature football brought out seven teams and the Waterworks Office Kowloon Depot 'B' Team won this trophy.
346. Electrical and Mechanical Office displayed considerable enter- prise by entering two teams in the Hong Kong Football Association League, one in the first and the second in the reserve division. Whilst they did not enjoy a great deal of success in the first division they put up some sparkling performances and were strongly supported by their office staff.
347. The Chinese members and their families of the Port Works, Drainage and Crown Lands and Surveys Office went on some enjoyable picnics and the Athletic Club sponsored by the Survey Office again proved popular.
APPRECIATION
348. Each year the Department is expected to achieve new records and the year just past has conformed to pattern. To all officers of the Public Works Department I wish to express my grateful thanks for their continued efforts and loyal support. I thank also the officers of other Departments who have co-operated so well at all levels.
July, 1959.
63
A. INGLIS, A.M.I.C.E., Director of Public Works.
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