PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
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and Kau Lau Wan in Mirs Bay, Tai O on Lantau, and to Tsing Yi Island. Towards the end of the year, work began on a second tunnel through Lion Rock, to perform the dual functions of providing a route for further pipelines required to deliver water from High Island and the enlarged Plover Cove schemes to the main centres of popu- lation, and also to provide another road link between Sha Tin and Kowloon. On Hong Kong Island, a major scheme to improve supplies to Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan was started.
Buildings
Building costs continued to rise during 1972 although a levelling off became apparent during the last quarter of the year. It is estimated that the general rise in costs over the year was about 12 per cent. This increase was almost entirely due to increased labour costs. The situation whereby demand for building operatives out- stripped supply continued during the year and while this situation exists, further wage increases must be expected. Basic building materials have maintained relatively stable cost levels although a general increase was noted in the final quarter which, if maintained, will be a further factor affecting building costs in 1973.
The 12 per cent general increase noted above is perhaps somewhat modest when compared with recent years. This must in part be attributed to a slowing down in the construction of private buildings, resulting in a healthy increase in competitive tender- ing for public building contracts during the year.
Although maintenance works proceeded at a slightly slower pace because of the labour shortage, progress on construction of government buildings and those for HBM Department of the Environment was generally satisfactory. Private architects, private quantity surveyors and consultants continued to assist the Public Works Department in implementing the public building programme.
During the year, expenditure on resettlement estates and associated buildings amounted to approximately $30.3 million, on government low-cost housing $46.7 million, and on all other government building projects $91.07 million.
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During the year, 14 resettlement blocks and 29 government low-cost housing blocks were completed, providing sufficient accommodation for some 159,000 people, together with 12 primary schools each with 24 classrooms; six restaurants and 15 kindergartens. In addition, two standard resettlement flatted factories were completed at Kwai Chung. At the end of the year, work was in progress on eight resettlement blocks and 17 government low-cost housing blocks (which will provide accommo- dation for 61,500 people), six estate schools (providing a total of 144 primary class- rooms), two restaurants and five kindergartens.
Improvements to the electrical wiring in Mark I and II resettlement blocks continued. This work was completed at Wong Tai Sin, Lo Fu Ngam and Tung Tau estates and was in hand at Chai Wan, Wang Tau Hom and Tai Wo Hau estates. Piling work was also in hand for the first phase of buildings at the Lek Yuen San Tsuen estate, Sha Tin, the estate in which the new design approach embodying improved ancillary facilities will be first implemented.