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A.—All sorts of time elapse. In some cases, it is a week, or perhaps a month.
Q.-Have you ever known it over a month ?
A. No, I don't think so.
Q.-Before you came to Hongkong, you were in Australia?
A.-There are cases where perhaps a plan is sent to the Governor to settle some special point. Then, it might be over a month.
Q.-Now, what was the procedure in your town, when you were in practice in Australia? To what Authority was the plan sent?
A. It was taken to the Town Surveyor, at the Town Hall in Sydney. I was then a pupil in the office. I started practice here, but I used to take the plans up to the office and wait until the Town Surveyor had inspected them. Any contravention of the Ordinance was marked by the Surveyor with red ink. If a wall was too small, he marked the proper figures on the plan. and for any other thing he made notes on the plan, and plan was returned in half an hour.
Q. And had they a strict Building and Sanitary Ordinance in force there?
A. Yes.
Q. As strict as ours?
A. Yes.
Q. And you were able to get your plan back in 21 hours?
A. Certainly in 24 hours. Usually half an hour.
The Chairman. So that you thought it worth your while to sit in the office and wait
for it?
A. Certainly. I took the plan and there were no further proceedings. We never even submitted copies.
Mr. Shelton Hooper.-Did they ir spect the building, during progress ?
A. Yes, they did.
Q. Can you tell me any reasou, what is to prevent a similar procedure in Hongkong?
A.-I think a better procedure would be if all the officers were in one building.
Q. What do you think of a proposal that the Building Authority be amalgamated with the Sanitary Board, and be under one Board, with the Engineer as Head of his Department, as the Medical Office of Health is at present his?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you think that would be tnore acceptable to the public?
A. Certainly yes.
Q.-And dont you think the interests of the Government would be as well looked after and as sanitary and strong buildings erected as to-day?
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