Light
railways and motor-lorries,
More lighters and tags
recom-
mended.
Junks
discharging materials at night.
Employment of middle-
meu.
Re-letting
of whole contract.
Storage of materials landed from junks.
More wharves for landing
materials
Big supply depôts.
Site for supply depôts
C'ement. bricks.
122
* 90. In letter (22) the use of light railways for conveying materials is suggested. In letters (22) and (41) the suggestion is made that motor-lorries should be substituted for push-carts as much as possible. We endorse this suggestion, which was supported by Mr. Jackman and Mr. White, and we hope that a company may be formed for the hiring out of motor-lorries.
* 91. We agree with the suggestion in letter (24) that more lighters are required, and we recommend the provision of a suitable service of tugs.
* 92. There is a suggestion (letter (35) in Enclosure 1) that time would. be saved if junks were allowed to discharge their cargoes of building materials at night; and we suggest that the point be referred to the Captain Superintendent of Police and the Harbour Master for consideration as to whether the desired permission might be allowed under supervision.
* 93. In our circular letter of the 9th April, 1923, addressed to architects, contractors and others, we ask whether the number of middlemen can be re- duced. The general opinion is that it is impracticable to do away with middlemen in the building of houses; and we accept this view after careful enquiries. At the same time we are strongly of opinion that the re-letting of a whole contract should be forbidden by-law, as the practice tends to increase the cost of buildings-see letter (24) in Enclosure 1, and the evidence of Mr. Jackman, Mr. White and Mr. Lam Woo in Enclosures 8 (5) (3) and (2) respectively.
* 94. We are of opinion that land for the storage of building materials from junks should, wherever available, be granted by the Government as near to the scene of operations as possible-see letters (10), (19), (24), (29), (35) and (40) in Enclosure 1, the evidence of Mr. Jackman, Mr. White and Mr. Lam Woo, and also Enclosure 4.
* 95. We also consider that there should be more wharves on the Praya for the landing of materials-see letters (14), (35) and (39). Mr. Jackman informed us that the matter was being enquired into by the Government (Enclosure 8 (5) ).
Sub-Head (2)--Cost of House-Building: (b) Materials.
* 96. We commend to the favourable consideration of contractors, with a view to saving expense in building, the following suggestion for big supply depôts, which is made in a leading article in the South China Morning Post of the 11th April, 1923-
CL
"Instead of innumerable contractors with their own work-yards, plant and storage, we could have one or more contractors' supply firms, stocking timber, cement, steel, bricks and stone, and providing motor truck delivery of finished products as far as possible. The contractor is then left with no overhead cost, except his office and desk, and no function except to supply the labour
A big supply yard would have frame saws, and granite cutters, and might enter upon mass production of bricks with imported clay. Here is room for a considerable saving of expense
* We agree with another suggestion in the same article that the Govern- ment should be generous in its terms for granting a site for the above purpose, subject to proper guarantees being given by the lessees.
97. The use of cement-bricks is advocated in letter (24) in Enclosure 1, and we consider that such cement-bricks should be extensively tried, more especially as we understand that they do not cost more than ordinary red- bricks. We are informed that these bricks have passed satisfactory tests, and are to be used for the houses of the Kowloon Tong Company.