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45. (Item 3.) Disinfecting Station, Kowloon, including Quarters for Inspect- or.-The contract for this work was let in October, 1903, but was only commenced in December as the site for reasons previously stated had to be altered. It consists of a disinfecting shed in two compartments each 29′ 6′′ by 25′ Q"; a two-storey store with concrete floors 49′ 6′′ by 24′ 6′′; an office 16' 0" by 14′ 0′′; a store 20′ 0′′ by 14′0′′; an office for the Medical Officer of Health 34' 0" by 16′ 0′′ with two rooms under it; Coolie quarters, bath-rooms, latrines, &c.; Inspectors' Quarters 4 rooms 16′ 0′′ by 14' 0" with coolie quarters, kitchens, &c.; the whole contained within a boundary wall with a yard about 95′ 0′′ by 70′ 0′′. The present site entailed a great amount of piling owing to the presence of a lot of silted up stream beds and layers of sand, in some cases 10 or 12 feet deep. The whole of the works were finished by the end of the year with the exception of some concreting in the yard and the Medical Officer of Health's office, the latter being an addition to the original contract and estimated at $5,000. The disinfecting shed with its apparatus was handed over to the Sanitary Board for use in May and the office and stores with half the yard in November, which allowed them to give up the use of their office at 29 Austin Road.
46. (Item 4.) New Gunpowder Depôt on Green Island.—The contract for this Depôt, which was approved by the Public Works Committee, having been let to Mr. HIM TAI, work was commenced in April and fairly substantial progress was made by the end of the year. The preparation of the site was completed and the foundations for the buildings were put in. The site for the Caretaker's Quarters on the hill was also excavated.
47. (Item 5.) Harbour Office.-Progress with this work was unsatisfactory due to the supply of granite again being insufficient.
The walls were built to an average height of 21 feet above ground floor level except the North wall which was delayed until the colonnade piers were at the required height for arches to be turned connecting same to the wall of building.
Eight of these piers were at the necessary height at the close of the year.
The concrete to flat roof of Boarding Officers' room and concrete to floors of Record-room, Lavatory, Chinese and Indian Kitchens on first floor was laid, and joists to various other rooms fixed.
The columns and steel framing to Yard Verandahs were also fixed.
The late Mr. CHAN A TONG was the Contractor for this work, the contract for completion being transferred to Mr. CHAN A TONG Junior.
48. (Item 6.) La Courts.-Fair progress was made with this work consi- dering the unsatisfactory supply of granite, the demand being far greater than the delivery from the quarries.
The internal walls generally were built to an average of 19 feet above ground floor level, this being the required height for the steel joists to first floor.
The external walls generally were built to an average of 11 feet 6 inches above ground floor line, this being the necessary height for the springing of arches to colonnade, &c.
Twenty granite arches over window openings were constructed at the close of the year.
Seventy-one granite balusters to first floor colonnade were dressed ready for
fixing.
All the plain square bases to main columns, pilasters, &c.. forming the colonnade were fixed with the exception of one; and 40 moulded bases out of a total of 46 were bedded, a number of stones to the columns, pilasters, &c., were alse bedded.
An average number of 107 masons were daily employed on the site dressing granite.
The steel girders and joists to first floor were delivered on the site during December and the main girders to Library floor were placed in position.
The new Clerk of Works arrived in the Colony ani commenced duty on the 12th February.
It is regrettable to have to record the death of Mr. CHAN A TONG, the Con- tractor for this work, which took place on the 8th November.