news review
On going metric
Hong Kong's director of public works, Mr. J. J. Robson said recently that as far as the building industry was concerned, the benefits of going metric would prove to be well worth the effort and extra work involved and would be of direct benefit to the colony generally.
While certain amendments to legislation would be needed in due course, the most important task would be to teach people of many different profes- sions and trades to 'think metric'.
Mr. Robson said: 'I think the change to metric may be easier for Hong Kong that it is proving to be for the United Kingdom. I say this because the older members of our population who were brought up in China will probably have a basic knowledge of the metric system and had practice in its use.
These early lessons are the ones that the memory retains and I am therefore hopeful that this will lead to the early conversion to metric thinking.'
Present indications were that land records in the Registrar General's Department would con- tinue to be kept in Imperial units and the colony survey maps would continue to show heights in feet for a long time yet'. It would however be necessary for all new surveys of construction sites and the preparation of plans, upon which all con- struction is based, to be carried out in metric units. New Standard scales for building plans and even new sizes of drawing papers must be adopted.
It would also be necessary to make appropriate amendments to the building legislation while per- mitting a period of grace during which plans pre- pared to the old Imperial code could be submitted. Start on new town
The first phase of Singapore's new town of Woodlands which will overlook the Straits of Johore will be started in September. Included in this phase will be the construction of a town cen- tre, 1,500 housing units, schools, a social hall, post office and an industrial estate.
Provision has been made for three secondary and six primary schools to cater for a population
Far East BUILDER, July 1971
of about 80,000. Eventually it is expected that 250,000 people will live at Woodlands, which is a project of the Housing and Development Board. Cable car plan for Lion Rock
Hong Kong's famous Peak Tram may soon be matched on the other side of the harbour by a cable- car system which will take tourists and residents to the top of the 1,630 ft. high Lion Rock for an equally stunning view of the cities below.
Government announced last month that a pro- posal for the construction and operation of a cable- car system from Sha Tin Pass Road to the peak east of Lion Rock had been approved in principle
Lion Rock showing cable car route
by the Governor in Council. The right to build and operate the cable-car for which legislation would be required would be put to tender.
It is proposed that the lower terminal be sited on an area of land adjoining Sha Tin Pass Road and the upper terminal on the eastern end of the Lion Rock feature. The terminals would include a res- taurant and general facilities for visitors. Outline zoning plan for Yau Ma Tei
The population of Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon now 150,000 is expected to rise to 200,000 when the area is fully developed. A revised outline zoning plan for the 175.6-acre area, made public recently, shows that some 52 acres are zoned for commercial and residential use.
Land zoned for Government, institution and community use totals 23 acres. Two major areas planned for such purposes are the Yau Ma Tei Civic Centre in Public Square Street, and the area bound- ed by Tung Kun Street, Reclamation Street, Water- loo Road and the proposed Tong Mi Road exten- sion. The civic centre project is almost completed and in the second area, several schools have already been constructed or are under construction.
Five multi-purpose, multi-storey government complexes, four at the junctions of Shanghai Street