en route to Silver Mine Bay and Cheung Chau had to discharge and load passengers and goods by means of sampans and other small craft with resultant danger and difficulties in rough weather. Colonial Development and Welfare funds were made available for the construction of a small pier on the sheltered north shore of the island near to the village. Work commenced in January and should be completed in June 1954. The pier, constructed of reinforced concrete, comprises an 82 ft. long × 18 ft. wide pier head connected to the shore by a catwalk 225 ft. long × 7 ft. wide. In addition, an area 50 ft. square has been reclaimed from the sea to provide additional "common" storage space at the pier site for goods arriving or awaiting shipment.
235. North Point Blockyard. Many and various types of precast concrete units were made. The major work undertaken was the casting of two hundred and fifty-six 18″ × 18″ reinforced concrete piles required for future pier construction. In addition, five 90-ton blocks for typhoon moorings, three 22-ton R.C. thrust boxes required for the diversion of the cross-harbour water mains, and twenty-five 3-ton and forty-three 18-ton concrete blocks for the completion of the Central Reclamation sea wall, were cast. Work commenced in May and was almost complete by the end of the year.
Investigations and Miscellaneous Works
236. Site investigations were carried out in connection with the construction of a new ferry pier at Ma Tau Kok for the Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company. This pier will replace the old Kowloon City Ferry Pier. The design was completed, and the preparation of contract documents commenced.
237. The pier will be 235 ft. long by 68 ft. wide, of reinforced concrete construction, and will provide two berths each capable of taking the largest ferry vessel in use or envisaged for any service. The internal layout has been designed to handle the traffic from one ferry service running to and from