190. 11,707 maintenance visits were made and 859 faults repaired. 429 major and minor repairs were executed and 121 major jobs were carried out. Two air conditioning plants of 370 tons and 240 tons capacity respectively were operated and maintained. The latter plant worked 24 hours per day for 7 days each week for the first 10 months of the period, making a total run, under such conditions, of 28 months since it was first put into operation.
PORT WORKS OFFICE
Chief Engineer, J. J. Robson, A.M.I.C.E., A.M.I.Struct.E.
General
191. The work carried out can be considered under four main heads:-
(a) maintenance of sea walls and piers and miscellaneous dredging work;
(b) new construction work on reclamations, public piers and other marine structures;
(c) miscellaneous works;
(d) operation of the P.W.D. Laboratory.
Maintenance
192. The maintenance of the Colony's public piers, seawalls and other marine structures was carried out, as in previous years, under an annual contract. The major part of this work consisted of repairs to fenders, deckings, walings, landing steps, handrails, etc.
193. Typhoon damage was slight as no typhoon passed sufficiently close to cause serious damage to harbour works. Extensive clearing of drainage outfalls had, however, to be undertaken after heavy rains and the sub-department's two dredging units, each consisting of a tug, a Priestman grab dredger, and three hoppers were used for this work.
194. These dredging units were also employed in the preparation of foundations for the seawalls at Hung Hom and Tsuen Wan Reclamations. One of the dredging units was hired for a period of two months to the contractor carrying out the Kai Tak Airport Development Scheme. A total of 195,000 cubic yards of material was dredged during the year.
Page 36
Page 36
Page 36