( 27 )
279
280
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
Q-During the year, how often do you get over the 120 miles of roads in the Colony?
A-I don't go over it all.
Q-Why is that?
A-I bave no time. That is the reason I say an Assistant Engineer is required. The Assistant and my self should be over these roads continually.
year?
Q-There ought not to be much difficulty in going over 120 miles of roads in a
A-There is a good deal of difficulty because communication is not very good. For instance, if you want to go over the roads on the other side of the Island you can't do it under a day.
Q-Supposing it tock a week in a year, why can you not go over all the roads in a year?
A-Generally speaking, I am over them all in a year, but I don't think I am over every foot of road.
Q-Don't you think it is very necessary that the officer responsible for the condi- tion of the roads should go over them?
A-I certainly think so. That is why there should be an Assistant Engineer. Q-It has been pointed out to me, and I have noticed it myself, that the roads in Kowloon are more satisfactory than on this side. Why is this?
A--Because there is nothing like the traffic in Kowloon. There is hardly a road macadamised there at all.
Q-How is that?
A-They are simply cut out of the natural soil and covered with decomposed granite. I macadamised Elgin Road.
Q-Do you think that is satisfactory for Kowloon?
A-No. I pointed out in my report last year that the roads in Kowloon should be macadamised. There is another point I should like to mention and that is that the watering of the streets by salt water destroys the roads to a large extent. The salt water contains salts which crystallize and, as soon as we have a little damp weather, the crystals break up with a certain amount of expansion and this breaks the road surface. I had the same trouble with it in England over and over again.
Q-Then you are opposed to watering with salt water?
A-If it is sparingly done it could continue, because one watering with salt water is equivalent to three waterings with fresh water for keeping the roads moist, but so soon as the weather becomes damp there is a tremendous amount of expansion in the chemical change of the salt crystals.
Mr. THURBURN.-With regard to the concreting of the roads, the Old Praya was concreted for the purpose of preventing seas and typhoons getting in and washing away the roads?
A--That was one reason.
Q-The New Praya in front of the Club up to Blake Pier was concreted, but beyond that you have been putting what you call foundation-these big stones and soil above them-now supposing a typhoon comes with a high tide, is that not likely to be washed out?
159
Page 255Page 256
160