173
The diversion of Albany Nullah from a point a little way south of Queen's Road northwards across the Naval Yard Extension was completed and the water turned into it during the first half of the year. The severe rainstorms of the 27th to 28th June caused the inlet to the culvert underneath Queen's Road to become blocked by large stones and debris which were carried from a breach made in the nullah on Military land adjoining the lower Tramway Terminus, but no serious damage resulted from this.
31. Gas Lighting, City.-The total number of gas lamps in use at the end of the year was 915, an increase of 28 during the 12 months, which is principally due to the lighting of private streets and lands. The number given is exclusive of lamps within the Military Cantonment, the lighting of which is borne in equal shares by the Government and the Military Authorities. Some trouble was experienced on account of the insufficient supply of gas which was attributed by the Gas Company to the deposit of naphthalin in the pipes.
32. Electric Lighting, City.-No alteration has been made in the number of lamps, which remains at 75.
33. Gas Lighting, Kowloon. The total number of lamps was increased from 186 at the end of 1902 to 201 at the end of 1903. This increase was due principally to extensions of the built-over areas.
34. Maintenance of Public Recreation Grounds.-In consequence of the continued occurrence of floods in the Happy Valley during heavy rainstorms, the embankment of the nullah to the north of the Grand Stand Enclosure was raised and the inlet to the culvert near the Golf Club House improved. A line of 21-inch pipes was also laid alongside the 18-inch pipes mentioned in last year's Report, the cost of this work being defrayed out of the Vote "Drainage Works, Mis- cellaneous." Portions of the Queen's Recreation Ground were re-turfed.
35. Maintenance of Clock Tower. -There is nothing special to record under this heading.
36. Forming and Kerbing Streets.-A large amount of work was done under this heading, the following being the principal items:-
City.
Improving Queen's Road by filling in hollow near
Arsenal Street,
.$5,800
Forming and concreting roads in Kennedy Town District, including Smithfield, Cadogan Street and path to Police Station,
4,817
Improving Wanchai Road by lowering summit and
easing gradients,
3,923
...
Surfacing roads and lanes in Taipingshan District, 2,153 Constructing retaining wall below Belcher's Battery and
behind Inland Lot 1502 and surfacing lane, Constructing path between Kennedy and Macdonnell
Roads, west of Inland Lot 1453,
1,035
429
Re-forming Jackson Road,
287
Improving approach path past Victoria Battery to West
Point Filter Beds,
254
Surfacing lane at Chinese Lunatic Asylum,
252
Kowloon.
Kerbing and channelling Garden and Chater Roads and improving other roads at Kowloon Point,...... Kerbing and channelling roads in Yaumati and Mong-kok, Kerbing and channelling roads at Hunghom, Opening out lane by cutting away hill behind houses on Kowloon Inland Lots 106-109 at Yaumati,
4,446
3,389
2,849
1,003