14
THE HONG KONG AND FAR EAST BUILDER
BUILDING AUTHORITY'S OFFICE
Tabulated Summary of Activities—October to December, 1948.
Total Oct. Nov.
Tota! Dec. for 1948
No. of Plans Received. 739 218
232
289 3041
No. of Houses and Other Buildings covered by plans received
1121 268 347 506
4724
No. of Plans approved.
1206 403
334 469 4696
No. of Houses and Other Buildings covered by plans approved
DRAINAGE OFFICE
2279
821 647 811 8500
Routine general maintenance work was carried out through contractors, whilst the cleaning of choked sewers, stormwater drains, nullahs and channels and minor works of which there were 1.425 jobs during the three-month period were carried out by direct labour employed by the Department. Works on private connections were somewhat delayed owing to lack of funds but towards the end of the period additional grants were made which enabled work to continue on all outstanding jobs.
The construction of the nullah for the new Causeway Bay Road was continued, the section to the north of the existing tram tracks being completed. The stormwater drainage was also completed except for the section at pre- sent occupied by the tram track.
PORT WORKS OFFICE
Painting and steel cleaning on the Vehicular Ferry and Jubilee Piers were continued during this period, while work on the repairs to Blake Pier, the contract for which was let in November, was progressing favourably.
The outstanding tidal work in connection with the widening of Causeway Bay Road was completed in Novem- ber and the pitched slope and cut off wall completed in December.
Dredging work continued satisfactorily. Dredger No. 1 was employed at Waterloo Road Nullah Outfall in the Yaumati Shelter, the Sing On Street Outfall and at Aber- deen Reclamation, 33,582 cubic yards of spoil being dredged during the period under review. Dredger No. 2 was em- ployed on the difficult work of removing the foundations of the Japanese mole at M.L. 396, the pier and sea-wall foundations erected by the Japanese at M.L. 285 at Whit- field Street and Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter, a total of 13,244 yards of spoil, mostly broken concrete and rubble, being removed.
At the Airport, 1,737 square yards of runway were broken up and repaired with vibrated concrete. Prelimin- ary designs and estimates were being prepared for the Central Reclamation Scheme.
ROADS & TUNNELS OFFICE
The resurfacing of roads in the Colony proceeds apace. During the three months period, in Hong Kong, the surfac ing of Eastern High, Star, Sharp, Wing Fung, Li Chit Streets, and Lockhart Road, Connaught Road West, Coombe Road to Wanchai Gap Dump, Thomson Road and the ap- proach road to Peak Pavilion Quarters were completed.
In Kowloon, Fife, Woosung, Shanghai and Kwan Chung Streets were resurfaced as well as Lok Shan Road and Castle Peak Road. The important job of the recon- struction of Prince Edward Road continues satisfactorily but the rate of progress is governed by the rate of produc- tion of Tarmac.
The supply of stone from the Hok-Un and Morrison Hill quarries has not been fully maintained owing to break · downs of the crusher at the latter place. However, with the installation of another crusher at Hok-Un, 160 tons of stone daily is being produced and 100 tons of Tarmac manufactured.
The Tunnel Department completed work on the Japan- ese tunnels at Taun Wan and Taipo. The Argyle Street tunnels were completely filled and work started in filling the old A.R.P. tunnels under Leighton Hill in which work considerable difficulties have been encountered.
VALUATIONS & RESUMPTIONS OFFICE
Valuations submitted during the three month period
were:-
(a) Road Improvement & Town Planning Schemes
Kennedy Town Improvement, 27 lots valued at
$166,544.00.
New School Site at Aberdeen Street, 79 lots valued at
$850,000.00
New Market, bathhouse and site, Bridges Street, 12
lots valued at $150,000.00. (b) For Resumption Purposes
Properties in Wing Lee Street and Bridges Street, 19 lots valued at $230,000.00 Other valuations for this purpose totalled $1,134,663.00. For sundry purposes, 27 lots were valued at $627,500.00, while one building scheme and one War Department lot totalled $6,345,000.00. The site of Leighton Hill Flats was valued at $2,500,000.00. 241 hereditaments were valued for the Estate Duty Commissioner, totalling $8,376,500.00,
The valuation of 5 market sites were made for the Chairman of the Urban Council, the combined value being set at $4.671,000.00.
WATERWORKS OFFICE
Rainfall during the three months totailed .96 inch, 2.97 inches below average for the period. The amount of water in storage on 31st January was 3,809 million gallons compared to 3,277 million gallons on the same date in 1948. Approximately 30.647 feet of mains 11" and up- wards were laid in Hong Kong and Kowloon,
The replacement of 5" supply main from Tytam to Stanley with an 8" pipe, and changing over of galvanised iron mains for black iron ones laid in the Peak District after the re-occupation was done during this period.
Construction work for this department included Quar- ters and Filter Building at Eastern Filters, reconstruction work at Shing Mun Catchwater and the completion of the 750-foot service tank. General maintenance of all dams. catchwaters and installations was maintaned.
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