Far East
ARCHITECT & BUILDER
The oldest trade journal in the Far East
EDITOR: A. G. BARNETT
MAY 1965
news review
Contents
:
37
News Review
World News
43
New Hong Kong University Block ..
49
Tower Apartment Building, Macau
53
industrialised Building,
by Frank Ng, A.A. Dipl., A.R.I.B.A...
57
Hong Kong Architecture,
by Prof. W.G. Gregory
64
About People
67
Civil Engineering Section
Perak Irrigation Project
69
Road - making in Sabah
72
New Materials and Equipment ..
75
New Contractors' Plant
79
Building Plans Approved
83
Contracts Awarded
85
Index to Advertisers
105
Cover picture: Artist's impression of the hall and admini- strative block soon to be erected as part of a
new local government complex at Quezon City, Philippines. Architect is Ruberto C. Gaite. Other drawings appear on page 39.
Published monthly by Far East Trade Press Ltd., 113-114 Alexandra House, Hong Kong. Tel: 241031 European Office: Building and Contract Journals Ltd., 32 Southwark Bridge Road, London, S. E. 1. Tel: Waterloo 2060, Printed by Shum Shing Print- ing Co., 7 Ship Street, Hong Kong. Tel: 724513.
Controlled circulation to 5,000 qualified readers
Far East Architect & Builder May, 1965
WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION INCREASED CONSTRUCTION and sub-contracting companies in Hong Kong will be pleased to learn that insurance companies do not expect to have to increase their premiums to meet the increased compensations payable under the Work- men's Compensation (Amendment) Ordinance, 1965. which is effective from May 1 not for a year or two anyway.
However, an insurance spokesman pointed out last month that the increase in liability was substantial and "in the light of experience it might subsequently found impracticable to continue to insure this at premium rates which were, after all, designed for much lower limits of compensation". At some time in the future "it might be found necessary to increase premiums for at least some trades."
The amended ordinance lays down new limits of statutory compensation as follows: Compensation for death, subject to the usual provisions as to dependants, to be 36 months' earnings as at present, but subject to a limit of HK$18,000 (instead of $10,000): compensation for permanent total incapacity to remain at 48 months' earnings, but subject to a limit of $24,000 (instead of $14,000).
There is no change in the ordinance for permanent partial incapacity, but by reason of the increased maximum for permanent total incapacity the sum payable in respect of sonie permanent partial incapacity cases will be increased, For temporary incapacity the maximum will stay at $350 a month.
The insurance spokesman offered one piece of advice to employers. Premiums are calculated on the company's wage roll, and he said that some firms might do well to look over their wage roll to make sure that they are declaring on the basis of full estimated wages paid. A serious under-estimate might affect complete payment under a policy
TAIWAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
TAIWAN Government is to set up a US$10 million Asian Development Company to bid for construction projects in South East Asia.
The Government will underwrite 45 per cent. of the projected investment and the rest will come from private sources. It is planned to utilize equipment and materials left over from the recently completed Shihmen Dam. This equipment is estimated to be worth over US$11,500,000.
Shareholders will include the Provincial Govern- ment, which will contribute US$2,500,000, and the Retired Servicemen's Engineering Agency, which will put up US$2,000,000. Private shareholders are Sino- America Technical Cooperation Association, US$3,500,000: and US$500,000 each from the four cement corporations, Taiwan, Chia Hsin. Asią, and Universal.
The idea of organizing a development company to do construction jobs for South East Asian countries came from the Council for International Economic Coopera- tion and Development. The plan says that the company would co-operate with local enterpreneurs in Malaysia
37