type flats in November of the same year. The whole of the scheme was completed early in December 1956 and the Estate, named "Belcher Gar- dens', was officially opened by His Excellency the Governor on the 20th December, 1956.
were
Because of the difficulties which were encountered, many alterations were made in the plans covering the original foundations of the buildings. There was a considerable depth of old filling over many parts of the site, and а number of the buildings originally designed to have foundations on precast reinforced concrete piles. However, this filling was found to cover underground passages, tunnels and magazines of the old fortress, which together with the presence of boulders, rendered pile driving very difficult. Deep excavation was resort- ed to since piling had to be abandon- ed. Raft foundations were used in one case on account of the proximity of an existing air-raid tunnel passing under the building.
Many times, during the process of site formation, unexploded shells were unearthed and a large cannon weigh- ing close on 30 tons was also dis- covered. This relic is now mounted at the centre of the grass plot on the upper level bearing a stone plaque to commemorate the opening of the Estate by His Excellency the Gover-
nor.
The total construction cost of the scheme including site formation is approximately $6,000,000.
Architect: Mr. W. Szeto.
Site Formation Contractors: Yeung
Fat & Co.
Contractors for "A" type Flats:
Winsome Co.
Contractors for "B" type Flats:
Hsin Heng Construction Co. "Crittall" Windows: Dodwell &
Co., Ltd.
Plumbing Installation: Lee Yu Kee. Electrical Installation: Engineering
Service
Gas Installation: The Hong Kong
& China Gas Co., Ltd. Street Lighting: The Hongkong
Electric Co., Ltd. Ironmongery & Hardware:
John D. Hutchison & Co., Ltd. (For "A" flats).
William Jacks & Co., Ltd. (For "B" flats).
LOW COST HOUSING
WITH
HIGH GRADE MATERIALS
CHEAP
STRONG FIRE & DAMP RESISTING
VI-CON
VIBRATED CONCRETE
L...
14
BLOCKS
Manufactured & Sold by
LIGHT DURABLE
SOUND & THERMAL
RESISTING
PRE-CAST CONCRETE LTD.
117. PRINCE'S BLDG.
TELEPHONE:
26062
Gateway Natural Tracing
GATEW
* MAXIMUM TRANSPARENCY
TRACI
* MAXIMUM STRENGTH
* ERASURES WILL NOT PRINT
* MINIMUM STRETCH
* MINIMUM BRITTLENESS & DISCOLOURATION
The high transparency is obtained
"naturally" by our papermaking process.
Our quality control methods ensure that
the highest standard is maintained through-
out each roll of Gateway Natural Tracing
Wiggins Teape & Alex Pirie (Export) Ltd
108 EDINBURGH HOUSE HONG KONG
57