97
No. 1924
12
HONGKONG.
QUEEN'S PIER-ENTRANCE PORTION.
CONTRACT No. 62 OF 1922. CONTRACTOR: MESSRS. YAU HING & Co.
Quarterly Report ending 30th September, 1924.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency
the Governor on the 3rd November, 1924.
The progress with this contract is unsatisfactory. The contractors do not appear to be making any serious effort to carry out their obligations under the contract in a business like manner, and their assurances, given from time to time, to expedite the work have never been fulfilled.
The date of completion of the contract was 30th June; however, in view of alleged difficulties the contractors have had to contend with in regard to the stone masons-but from the responsibility for which the contractors cannot be entirely absolved-an exten- sion of time without penalty was granted until 4th October, on the contractors assurance that the work would be completely finished by the latter date.
A slight improvement-though still slow-was shown in carrying out the works, during the months of July and August, but even this rate of progress was not main- tained during the month of September, and work was completely suspended from 19th to 22nd inclusive.
Work on the fixing of the tiles to the roof of the pier was also suspended from 1st to 7th August, while, at various times, difficulties have been experienced in obtaining and delivering granite from the quarry.
Enquiries have been made into the causes of these delays, and from information obtained, it would appear that in all cases the contractors have failed to fulfil their assurances in regard to financial matters.
There has been no delay in providing drawings from this office, as they had been completed before tenders were invited, while copies of each were handed to the contrac- tors at the time the contract was signed on 22nd March, 1923.
During the period of testing the foundations by Mr. Duncan's office, the contrac- tors had eight months to prepare stone at the quarry, and have had nine months since commencing actual building operations on the site-a period of seventeen months which is more than reasonable for carrying out a contract of this type.
The work at present is not quite completed up to the level of the crown of the arches, and the value of the work done to date is approximately equal to half the value of the total contract.
The question of cancelling this contract has been carefully considered and though another contractor would probably carry out the work with more expedition, there would be a suspension of the work during the period required to adjust the prices and fix up a new contract, and as these negotiations might be of a protracted nature the final date of completion would probably be later than by continuing under the present conditions, assuming that the present rate of progress although slow be maintained.
7th October, 1924.
HAROLD T. CREASY,
Director of Public Works.