adverse effect on the rate of letting of the flats. The trouble was due to cramped and boulder-encumbered working conditions and problems of co-ordination among the various services-water, both salt for flushing and fresh for domestic use, surface water drainage, soil sewers, electricity, street lighting, Rediffusion, and telephones. At times it was impossible to deploy sufficient labour to get through the work quickly and hand splitting of rocks took considerable time. All this made it difficult for road bottoming and surfacing to be carried out without delaying the occupation of the buildings, and these site conditions made it hard to assess firm completion dates.
98. The cost of road and drainage works, including the 5% sur- charge to P.W.D., is estimated at $420,000. In addition, the cost of installing street lighting has now been revised to $580,852.
99. The construction of a permanent transformer house by the China Light & Power Co. was well advanced at the time of writing, and Messrs. Caltex Asia Ltd. had finished and opened their kerosene service store.
100. The problem of parking vehicles, ever increasing in Hong Kong, necessitated a revision to planning of various areas in the centre of the estate to provide some accommodation for cars, as, although the tenants would not be expected to be in an income group allowing for ownership of vehicles, it has been found that a number of them either drive cars for other people or use small vans which they park overnight.
Lift Alarm System
101. The installation of a comprehensive lift alarm system was put out to tender and Messrs. China Engineers were awarded the contract. This will provide for an alarm board being installed at a central point to give warning of the failure of any lift from any cause whatsoever. Specialist materials ordered from the U.K. have arrived, and work on the installation is in hand.
Site Maintenance
102. Messrs. Wan Hin & Co., continuing with their contract for site maintenance, were used for the clearance of drainage channels, repair of banks, and the site formation generally in the areas where construc- tion work was being carried out. As buildings were occupied this responsibility was passed on to the Management Section to carry out through the Authority's general maintenance organization.
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