REPORT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE.-The Director of Public Works, by command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the Report of the Public Works Committee dated 19th November, 1903, (No. 9).
In the absence of Mr. POLLOCK, Sir P. CHATER put the following questions :-
1. What was the total amount which was paid to owners for the resumption of insanitary
properties in Taipingshan?
What was the total cost of laying out such named land, including roads, drains, retaining
walls, etc.?
What is the total amount which has been received by the Government in premia from the sale of such portions of such resumed land as have been sold by the Government, and what is the total Annual Crown Rent which is received by the Government in respect of such portions?
What proportion do such portions as aforesaid bear to the part of such resumption which
it is proposed to reserve as a Public Park for Chinese?
What is the area of that part of such resumption which it is proposed to reserve as a Public
Park for Chinese?
When does the Government propose to give the Members of the Legislative Council an opportunity for discussing the question of the desirability of reserving such part of such resumption as a Public Park for Chinese? What stage has this matter of a Public Park for Chinese now reached?
2. On what date was the contract let for the foundations and reclamation for Section No. 6 of the Praya Reclamation (from Pottinger Street to Wing Wo Street), and what was the date fixed for the completion of the work? What is the name of the contractor?
When was the above contract work actually completed, and how many days was it after the contract time for completion? Was the penalty for overtime stipulated in the contract enforced? If not, why not?
On what date was the contract let for the Sea Wall and Roadways on the abore Section
and what date was fixed for the completion of the work?
What is the name of the contractor?
When will the work on :--
(a.) the Sea Wall, and
(b.) the Roadways
be actually completed?
Is the penalty for overtime in the contract being enforced or will it be enforced? If not,
why not?
3. Is it not the fact that a wall in the Protestant Cemetery, on the side nearest to the Roman Catholic Cemetery, has recently partially collapsed covering some of the tombs in the Protestant Cemetery with debris and damaging some of the tombstones?
What steps will be taken and when to remove such debris and to repair such damage and to ensure that no further portions of the said wall and no earth shall in future fall down or be washed down by rain upon the tumbs in the Protestant Cemetery?
What is the name of the contractor who is responsible for the wall in question?
4. Is it not the fact that certain houses in Conduit Road have been served with an intermittent
supply of water only during some days in the past summer?
If yes, to what cause is such deficiency of water due?
Are there any defects in the mains leading up to Conduit Road or is the pumping-power insufficient to raise the water up to that level? Is a Water Rate being collected from the houses in Conduit Road?
5. Is it the fact that the Government is contemplating the alteration of the uniform which is worn by the Senior Sanitary Inspectors? If so, will not such contemplated alteration make the uniform of the Senior Sanitary Inspectors resemble that of the District Inspectors? What is the reason for the contemplated change?
The Acting Colonial Secretary answered Questions Nos. 1 and 5 and the Director of Public Works answered the other three Questions.