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By Colonel Brown.-What number of applications, on an average, of various sorts have you to make to the Director of Public Works in, say, a month?
A-I should say on an average our firm has about 120 or 150 communications a month.
By Mr. Master.-With reference to these houses in Leighton Hill Road, you said they had been four months without drains. Should these connections have been made before the houses were completed?
A-Yes.
Q-With the completion of the houses, should this have been done?
A-Yes.
Q-The drains should be connected with the sewer by the time the houses are in occupation?
A-There is no reason why they should not be so before.
Q-And what notice was given to the Public Works Department that these houses were approaching completion?
A-Notice was given at the time of building.
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Q-During the course of building?
A-Not during the course of building.
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Q-Could they say they did not know?
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A-No, they received notice of the houses being constructed and also a notice applying for the certificate of occupation.
By the Chairman.-Is the certificate of occupation given regardless of the fact that the drains are not completed?
A-That is not the Public Works Department; it is the Sanitary Department. The Sanitary Board refuses to give the certificate, and not the Public Works Department.
Q-But there was no delay in the occupation?
A-We went against the law in this case.
Q-There is another point the Commission would like to ask you about. It has been suggested that it might be an improvement if more of the public works were given out to private firms instead of being undertaken by Government. What is your opinion. on that subject?
A-Well, it is rather a selfish opinion, but I certainly think a great deal of Extra- ordinary Public Works might be given to local firms.
Q-Do you think, if that were done, that the work would be as well and as cheap- ly carried out?
A-Yes.
Q-We have had it stated that local firms have a great difficulty in securing efficient supervision of works, owing to the class of overseers that they have perforce to employ in Hongkong. Have you experienced difficulties of that kind ?
A-Sometimes. It is a matter of luck if we get a good overseer.
Q-Then, supposing you are entrusted with large works by Government, how would you overcome that difficulty. ?
A-We would have to get proper men.