ELECTRICAL OFFICE.
89. All electrical installations suffered from lack of maintenance during the Occupation, and many buildings were completely stripped of wiring and fittings by looters. 533 installation works were carried out and 187,000 yards of cable were used. There was a serious shortage of trained Chinese supervisory staff. The supply of materials was generally satisfactory with certain exceptions such as sockets, plugs and lamps of 100 watts and upwards.
90. Public Works Recurrent. Maintenance of Government Buildings. Electrical installations were maintained in reasonably good order in over four hundred buildings. About one thousand fans and five thousand light and power points were tested, and repairs and renewals carried out as far as materials and staff permitted.
Maintenance of Non-Government Buildings. - This was kept down to a minimum, and only essential work was done.
Alterations and Additions to Government Buildings were carried out in 122 buildings. Total number of points involved was 4168.
91. Alterations and Additions to Non-Government Buildings. - The number of points dealt with was 1446.
92. Maintenance of Lifts. - Seventeen lifts were maintained. Interruptions were experienced from time to time due to past neglect and lack of maintenance. Overhauls were carried out as rapidly as circumstances permitted. Generally speaking, the machinery and equipment were both in bad condition, but by January 1947, all lifts in buildings occupied by Government were working with the exception of one in the Supreme Court where both the winding engine and controller are missing, and replacements are not available.
93. Running Expenses of Workshops. - Considerable alterations were made at the workshops at No. 18 Johnston Road, and progress was made in installing machine tools, and the layout generally improved. Fluorescent lights were installed wherever possible, and resulted in a considerable reduction in the cost of current consumed.
94. Maintenance of Sea Walls and Piers. - The installations were maintained on an austerity basis. Eleven navigation lights were restored.