372
Maintenance of Roads in Kowloon.-These roads are mainly formed of decomposed granite; they have been maintained in good condition during the half-year.
Miscellaneous Works.-The following are the more important works carried out under this heading:-
1. Alterations to the offices formerly occupied by the Registrar General to adapt them for the
use of the Attorney General's Department. C.S.O. 2014
2. Installation of Electric light in "Beaconsfield." C.S.O. 4
289
3. Laying a floor of broken stone and tar under the planked floor of the Land Office.
C.S.O. 2017
4. Erecting iron railing round the Queen's Statue. C.S.O. 187
5. Coating Canopy of the Queen's Statue with patent stone liquid to arrest decay.
C.S.O. 199
6. Installation of Electric light in the Supreme Court and offices. C.S.O. 2054
7. Substituting a brick boundary wall for railing at the Belilios Public School and altering
gates. C.S.O. 351
1898
8. Repairing damage done to the Chinese Lunatic Asylum by fire. C.S.O. 39
865 1898
1898
73
9. Construction of masonry shelters for five Fire Despatch Boxes in the city. C.S.O. 1998 10. Additional Quarters Government Civil Hospital. C.S.O. Work commenced. 11. Alteration of 46 locks and strengthening cell doors at the Victoria Gaol. C.S.O. 78% Lighting the City of Victoria and Kowloon.-This work has been satisfactorily done by the Gas and Electric Companies. There are now 666 street gas lamps in the City, 6 lamps on Government wharves, and 3 high power lamps besides 15 street lamps in the Military grounds. In Kowloon there are 164 street lamps and 1 wharf lamp.
Incandescent burners have been fitted to 397 lamps in the city.
PUBLIC WORKS EXTRAORDINARY.
Road from Victoria Gap to Mount Kellett Road. The retaining walls have been finished and most of the filling done, and it is expected soon that the new road can be thrown open to the public. In the meantime traffic passes along a temporary staging below "Treverbyn.”
Taipingshan Improvement.―The laying out of the whole of the resumed area is now nearing completion. Building operations on the lots sold are well advanced.
City of Victoria and Hill District Waterworks.-(i) Reservoir and Catchwater, Wongneichong Gap. This dam has been built to within 18 feet of the overflow level, and two of the draw-off valves have been fixed. The catchwater has been completed except its connection with the reservoir, which cannot be done yet. (ii) The filter beds and service reservoir at Bowen Road were completed on the 14th June, and have been in regular use since that date. A contract for a Caretaker's Bungalow and for coolie quarters has been let, and work on the buildings commenced.
Forming and Kerbing Streets.-The new road from Hung Hom to Hok Ün is nearing completion. It bounds the land recently acquired for the establishment of cement works, and opens up a number of excellent building sites for which, no doubt, there will be a demand in the early future. This road should be extended to Kowloon city next year.
The approach to the bridge on MacDonnell Road from Garden Road has been raised and much improved, and will be of benefit to the tenants of the numerous European houses now being built in this locality. The Nullah west of the Tram line is being arched over, to admit of the construction on it of a road to Bowen Road station from MacDonnell Road, half the cost of this work is being met by the Hongkong Land Investment Company.
Road from Plantation Road to Magazine Gap.-This work is well advanced. The steep bank at the commencement of the road near the Tram station caused much anxiety for a time.
The cutting here passed through what must have been an old landslip; the soil is of a treacherous nature, and numerous loose boulders of great size and weight overhung the roadway and the tramway beneath it. This proximity to the Tram line made it impossible to use powder or dynamite and so get rid of the whole mass, which consequently had to be wedged and carried away piece by piece. A strong retaining wall is now being built which will effectually prevent any further slips.
Taikoktsui Market.-Plans and specification have been prepared and tenders invited for this work. Gaol Extension.-A permanent workshop of two stories was commenced in March in the European Yard on the site of D wing which had been removed. The work has been done chiefly by prison labour and is approaching completion. Several association cells have been converted into single cells, and this work is still in progress in the Female Prison, the old hospital, and in A2 and A3 wards. The block of quarters on the left of the entrance is being adapted for a Gaol Hospital.