556
The following three houses over the ends of private lanes were removed voluntarily by the owners without compensation or pulled down by Government :---
No. 1 Western Street, over Sai Wa Lane,........
Wo Fung Street, over Pan Kwai Lane,...
No. 12 Cleverly Street, over Kwai Wa Lane,
Area sq. ft.
220
58
78
In addition to the above, arrangements were made with regard to other properties, but these bad not been finally concluded when the year closed, and negotiations were in pro- gress with regard to several others.
A small building, known as 301 Queen's Road Central, which had been in existence for many years, was found to form an encroachment on Crown land and was accordingly pulled down. Its removal has effected a distinct improvement in the approach to Cleverly Street, which it previously partially blocked.
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63. Insanitary Property Resumptions.-A full account of the resumptions undertaken on sanitary grounds since 1894 was published in the form of a special report during the year. The Kau U Fong Scheme, which was described in last year's Report, was fully pleted. The cost of resumptions for the scheme, including certain legal changes, surveyors' fees, and interest, amounted to $237,156.50 and of clearing and laying the area out afresh to $17,591.28. A sum of $744.42 was however retained under the Contract pending the expiry of the period of maintenance. The area of land resumed was 27,156 square feet, of which 13,909 square feet has been devoted to the formation of a road and lanes, &c., leaving 13,247 square feet available for building purposes. This area was put up to public auction in December, but,, with the exception of one small lot, failed to find a purchaser. This is doubtless due to the present depression of trade in the Colony, land sales generally having been fewer than during recent years.
As the Kau U Fong Scheme approached completion, attention was turned to another resumption, which has been designated the Mee Lun Scheme. It included the whole of the properties occupying the central area of the block bounded by Gough Street on the north, Aberdeen Street on the east, Hollywood Road on the south, and the Belilios School for Girls on the west, together with several houses fronting on Gough Street and Holly- wood Road required for opening roads through to these thoroughfares. The total number of houses affected was 52, 31 of which had been acquired by the end of the year, whilst negotiations for most of the others were in a forward state. Only a small portion of the back premises was required in the case of one house, the entire premises being required in the case of the other 51. The amount expended on the resumptions effected was $125,125.
64. Forming and Kerbing Streets.-A large amount of work was undertaken under this heading, some of the chief items being in connection with the formation of the roads on the newly-reclaimed area at Kowloon Point, the alteration in width and level of existing roads adjoining and the carrying out of the scheme for the construction of main thoroughfares in Kowloon.
The following is a statement of the items of expenditure, the amount stated being in some cases only a part of the cost owing to the work extending into more than one year:
Kowloon.
(i.) Resumption of part of Hung Hom I.L. 220 for con-
struction of proposed main thoroughfare to Hok Un, ........ (ii.) Formation of Salisbury Road from the West Bund to
Robinson Road,
$25,000
8,013
(iii.) Extension of Robinson Road between Middle and Salis- bury Roads and raising level of old road to a point south of Mody Road,
6,243
(iv.) Extension of Kimberley Road, from Observatory Road to
Austin Road,
6,861
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(v.) Retaining Wall, north side of Middle Road,
3,800
(vi.) Forming Pitt Street, Yaumati,
3,169