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A.--I would like to say before that, that I would have the ground underneath pre- pared by a ramming also specified, or by the substitution for lime concrete now used, of what is known as hardcore. Hardcore is really clean, dry rubbish, and under that heading you might include broken brick, broken stone, and any imperishable substances.
The Chairman.-Would that be obtained and rammed down?
A. Yes. The object of that is to prevent waste of the cement concrete, while it is going into soft places.
Mr. Fung Wa Chun.-What do you mean by four inches of cement concrete, of low grade ?-What do you mean by low grade?
A.-I will give you the mixture. I will say one part of cement. By cement, I mean a proper cement that will stand.
Mr. Shelton Hooper.-Is Green Island, good enough ?
A.-Green Island is good enough. There are other brands that are also good enough. One part of cement to three parts of sand, and six parts of half inch clean stone.
The Chairman.--Would you say red earth at all ?
A.-No.
Q. And under conditions, in which if you did, in what proportion would you use it ?
A. In conjunction with cement, certainly not.
Q.-Can you get a sufficiency of sand ?
A.--I think we can, but sentimental objections exist in my own mind also to the way in which sand is procured, but that is rather beyond me.
Q.It is rather an important point. If you make a suggestion like that, we must be satisfied that a sufficiency of sand is procurable.
A-I think there is.
Q.--At a reasonable price?
A.-At a reasonable price, to last us for years.
Q. Can you give us any idea of the cost, as compared with six inches of lime concrete as put on now?
A.-I am not prepared to go into actual figures, but bulk for bulk, that concrete I describe would cost double the price of lime concrete.
Mr. Shelton Hooper.-You say bulk for bulk, but you can't take bulk for bulk if you are only to have four inches as against six, and therefore it would be two thirds, and not double, because you are taking the cube now instead of the superficial.
A.-I am not dealing with it as a substitute for lime flooring. I am dealing with it as a substitute for lime material.
Q.-But you said it would be double in bulk, but the cubical contents of that material would not be double. It would not amount to double, because it would not have the same bulk.
A.-No.
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