As the oil for use in the lighthouses had hitherto been stored near the Gunpowder Depôt on Stonecutters' Island and it was desired to hand over the whole of the land and buildings there to the Military Authorities, it was decided to erect an oil store in conjunc- tion with the new depôt on Green Island. A suitable site was formed a little way below the lighthouse in convenient proximity to the lighthouse pier. The building had not been completed at the close of the year.
The establishment of the gunpowder dept
falling station on Green Island, in addition to the lighthouse, necessitated the
of a number of men there and the question of water supply had therefore to be,
After examination of the possible sources, it was decided to construct a tank to collect some small springs which issue from the cutting made in levelling the site of the depôt. A manual pump and line of piping will enable the water to be raised to a tank on the hill at such a level as to supply all the quarters by gravitation, except the signalman's, which are on the summit, 290 feet above sea level. The cost of this work is being defrayed out of the vote "Miscellaneous Water Works".
set.
45. Harbour Office.--Progress on this work was much retarded by the difficulty exper- ienced in obtaining the granite necessary for the completion of the principal front of the ground storey and it was not until November that all the requisite stone was obtained and The other portions of the building, which are of brickwork, were, however, pushed forward with the result that the main part of the building was almost completed by the close of the year and most of it roofed in. A considerable amount of the external plaster- ing was done, some of the floors laid and ceilings, which are of timber, fixed and most of the joinery was in readiness for fixing.
46. Law Courts.--Here also great difficulty was experienced in obtaining a supply of granite, especially during the earlier part of the year, with the result that the progress of the work was slow. Owing to the numerous granite arches extending from the pillars of the colonnade to the main walls, it was not possible to proceed with the brickwork above the level of the first floor until these had been built and every effort was therefore made to get the granite-work pushed on. It may be mentioned that each of the stones in the pillars of the colonnade weighs from 2 to 34 tons and much careful dressing is necessary to adapt them for setting in the work.
Much of the steelwork and concrete forming the first floor were laid early in the year, the internal walls having then reached such a level as to admit of this being done. By the close of the year nearly all the external walls were completed to the same level, the pillars of the colonnade were built to an average height of 16 feet and some of the arches were in progress.
The average number of masons employed daily was 124. in the work, 129 granite balusters were prepared, bringing the fixing up to 200.
In addition to the stone set number of these ready for
47. Mangkokisui Market.-A contract for the erection of a small market at Mongkoktsui was let at the end of June and the building was completed in December. Being situated on land recently reclaimed, it was considered advisable to pile the foundations. The walls are of brick, the floor is laid with lime and cement concrete, rendered with cement mortar, and the roof is covered with single pan and roll tiling. In addition to the market building, which contains 20 meat and fish stalls and 20 fruit and vegetable stalls, there is a small store.
In connection with the work, the formation of the roads in the neighbourhood was undertaken and sewers and storm-water drains were laid, a considerable improvement in the locality being thus effected.
The cost of the market buildings, including filling in the area reserved for market purposes, was $8,099.
48. Western Market.-Good progress was made, with this work, the whole of the roofs being completed and most of the concrete floors laid. The fixing of gates, windows and finishings generally was proceeded with. A contract was entered into with Messrs. Sang LEE & Co., the Contractors for the superstructure, in November, for the fitting up of the shops and stalls, and this work was progressing satisfactorily, most of those on the upper floor being completed and the materials for those on the ground floor being mostly ready for fixing.
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