cimates.
nd' and
id some of delay ision of ui' with
ead for .t which
) under ⚫ pound officers
:rs than
Emolu- Rewards vings of ring the ms sub- npus at
certain delivery elivered
ɔn; and ided for
¿s being
ipment'
l stores inistra-
es took cost of
ipment' ubhead ch there
(24.2%) : prison ́ under
f a new nentary
opment
ose was
Head 61 – Public Works Department: Headquarters
The only subhead to record a significant variation was ‘Metrication' where there was a saving of $425,658 (68.7%) because of an over-estimate and because it did not prove possible to settle all outstanding commitments within the financial year owing to delays in delivery of items ordered from overseas.
Head 62 - Public Works Department: Building Development
There were only two significant variations in the case of subheads appearing in the original estimates under this Head namely savings of $1,782,281 (17.6%) under 'Management of joint user buildings' for various reasons: (i) fewer buildings were taken over for management than originally anticipated resulting in reduced expenditure on electricity and cleaning, (ii) contract rates for cleaning and hire of commercial watchmen services were lower than originally estimated, (iii) the electricity fuel surcharge was lower than expected and (iv) one contract for watchmen service was cancelled and certain other watchmen service contracts relating to non-departmental quarters commenced later than originally anticipated; and $1,363,168 (54.5%) under 'Works executed on private account' largely because reinstatement works which com- menced at Castle Road during the year progressed more slowly than originally anticipated. Two new subheads were opened during the year with total supplementary provision of $47,000 against which expenditure of $31,099 was actually recorded.
Head 63 - Public Works Department: Engineering Development
There were two significant excesses under this Head and six significant savings. The excesses occurred under ‘Emergency repairs - Highways Office' ($2,278,767 or 103.6%) because of increased expenditure due to rainstorm damage in August 1976 and under 'Motor vehicles' ($276,077 or 89.3%) because several vehicles were delivered and paid for earlier than anticipated. The savings were; $1,000,000 (the whole provision) under 'Replacement vehicles for other departments' because a large part of this provision was 'frozen' and was therefore no longer available to meet expenditure; $418,693 (19.9%) on 'Maintenance of sewage treatment plants' partly because population build-up in the Sha Tin New Town was slower than expected so that the Sha Tin temporary sewage works were not in full operation and there was a con- sequent saving in operational costs, and partly because contract rates were lower than anticipated; $595,581 (40.4%) on 'Maintenance of hospital installations' because tendering procedures took longer than expected and this led to delays in the procurement of stores and services; $624,179 (21.9%) on 'Operation and maintenance of air-conditioning and refrigerating equipment' because of late submission of bills by contractors and because replacement of some cooling units was deferred and other units were taken out of service when premises were vacated; $3,103,617 (34.6%) on ‘Opera- tion and maintenance of incinerators' largely because the Lai Chi Kok ‘B' Plant was not fully commissioned during the year and because of late delivery of stores, but also because of fuel savings due to a distinct rise in the calorific value of refuse received and to the abnormally low rainfall during the latter part of the year; and $1,424,250 (47.5%) on ‘Main- tenance and extension of cemeteries' because of tender delays and because fewer maintenance works than anticipated were required during the year.
Head 64 - Public Works Department: Lands and Survey
There was only one significant variation under this Head, namely a saving of $2,124,118 (30.3%) under 'Management of Crown land in the urban area' because actual progress as regards land clearance was slower than anticipated.
Head 66 - Public Works Department: Water Supplies
There was one exceptionally large saving of $42,729,233 (37.9%) under 'Waterworks, operations and maintenance' mainly due to a change in desalter use factor from 30% to 16% because of the favourable water storage situation which resulted in substantial savings in fuel and associated operating costs; and one smaller underspending of $372,358 (43%) under 'Plant and equipment' because of delay in the delivery of a heavy duty boring mill. There were two significant excesses, namely, $2,274,637 (227.5%) under ‘Emergency repairs' due to rainstorm damage sustained in August 1976; and $974,824 (243.7%) under ‘Works executed on private account' due to the completion of work involved in the diversion of water mains at Whampoa Dock and Dyer Avenue. One new subhead was opened during the year with supplementary provision of $81,500 against which no expenditure was recorded.
Head 67 - Public Works Non-Recurrent: Headquarters
Of the nine subheads in the printed estimates seven produced savings and there were two excesses. The only significant excess was $1,042,120 (56.3%) under "Landslip study phase II' because the scope of the work was extended. There were significant savings under 'Compensation for surrenders and resumptions' ($14,433,858 or 28.1%) mainly because (i) it was only possible to pay out a very small proportion of the total compensation of $5.3 million estimated for the Tin Lok Lane road widening on which negotiations are still proceeding, (ii) the Caroline Hill acquisition estimated at $2 million did not proceed, (iii) urban renewal pilot scheme cases involving some $4.7 million were still under negotiation or had been referred to the Lands Tribunal and (iv) compensation awarded or settled in a number of other urban renewal pilot scheme cases was below the originally approved estimate; and under 'Hong Kong mass transit railway- land: Acquisitions, management and reprovisioning of buildings' ($19,555,764 or 50%) because offers of compensation made to a number of owners and occupiers of property in Nathan Road and Sai Yeung Choi Street were not accepted and the cases were referred to the Lands Tribunal resulting in payments being delayed.
Head 68 - Public Works Non-Recurrent: Buildings
There were 99 subheads in the original estimates including 15 with a 'nil' estimate on which there was no expenditure during the year. On the remaining 84 subheads expenditure was less than the estimate in 58 cases and exceeded the estimate in 26 cases. Total savings on the Head amounted to $97,396,568 and total excesses amounting to $14,365,751
17