123. The division prepares plans and estimates and supervises the construction by the maintenance contractor of alterations, minor improvements and new works within estates for other Government departments. During the year the division carried out repairs to offices in estates and staff quarters damaged during the May riots, as well as security measures to all estate offices and staff quarters. It also carried out various works for the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs, Urban Services Department and Civil Aid Services. Schools and welfare organizations which are allocated accommodation and tenants of shops in estates invariably have to carry out alterations to, and decoration of, their premises before occupation. The estates section of the Works Division approves and supervises these alterations and also alterations to domestic rooms.
124. The factory section carried out 163 field inspections of machinery in squatter factories under consideration for resettlement. It advises on floor loading and installation requirements when factories are resettled, and supervises installation of their machinery. It also advises on applica- tions to install new machinery or to change trade from enterprises already resettled in factory estates.
Cottage and Licensed Areas
125. In the cottage areas the division maintains Government-owned cottages and departmental quarters, latrines, offices and stores. Its chief commitment however is the maintenance of paths, steps, surface water drains, nullahs and stream courses, terraces and hill slopes which are liable to serious damage during typhoons and heavy rainfall. It is responsible for designing and carrying out minor public works to improve the amenities of cottage areas, and among the works executed during the year were the improvement of a nullah and stream course at Mt. Davis; surfacing a recreation ground at Chuk Yuen; converting four domestic units into offices and staff quarters at Fo Tan; erecting guard-rails or fencing and the improvement of paths, steps and hillslopes etc. in various cottage areas; and various improvements at Rennie's Mill including the reconstruction of a permanent market damaged by fire. 721 Government-owned structures in various cottage areas were repainted during the year (714 Government-owned cottages and 7 departmental quarters). Expenditure on all works carried out in cottage areas during the year amounted to $680,000.
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