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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
as a matter of routine once every three months for hull cleaning and general inspection. In order to provide greater working area, plans incorporating a permanent building berth were drawn and passed during the year for reclamation of the foreshore off the Depot. The building berth will be situated on the edge of the new seawall to facilitate launch- ings. Work on this project will commence in January 1957.
PUBLIC WORKS
The construction of new piers in Hong Kong and Kowloon to replace the present 'Star' Ferry Piers was well advanced. These piers will provide berths for four ferries at the same time on each side of the harbour which will speed up opera- tion during rush hours. The passenger gangways are wide and spacious. Waiting rooms are provided. Other facilities include an Information Bureau, Newspaper Stalls, Money Changers, Toilets and First Aid Rooms, as may be found at any large rail terminus. A clock with a full set of West- minster chimes, presented by Mr. J. Keswick, C.M.G., has been installed in a tower on the Hong Kong Pier. It is expected that two berths of each pier will be in operation by April 1957 and the remaining two by April 1958.
The new Ferry Pier at Kowloon City was completed by the installation of the passenger lifts and ramps and went into operation on 1st June.
Nearly 50 acres of land have been reclaimed at Hung Hom out of a planned total of 80 acres. This reclamation will be developed mainly as a residential area, with sites for schools and community use. The earth for this reclamation has been excavated mainly from hills at Ma Tau Wei and Tai Wan which are being levelled for low cost housing. Over one million cubic yards of earth and rock will have been moved when this work is complete.
At Kun Tong about 46 acres of a reclamation which will eventually cover 227 acres have been filled and levelled and