GENERAL
INTRODUCTION
1.01. Hong Kong's problem of people brought with it enormous demands for public works which have grown until in the year ending 31st March, 1962 the Department spent, on average, just over $1 million per day.
1.02. The major problems remained Housing, Water and Communications and these three continued to provide a fourth—the shortage of land. The year's highlights included completion of resettlement housing for 80,000 persons which was a further step towards our target of 100,000 persons per year; the opening of the new City Hall; the continued work on construction of Queen Elizabeth Hospital which will be one of the largest in the Commonwealth; the construction of 11 miles of new roads and nearly 40 miles of drains and sewers; work on further reclamations and the planning and development of satellite towns; the publication of the Central Area of Victoria City Redevelopment Plan; and the enormous waterworks programme of dams, reservoirs, treatment plants and tunnels including that under Lion Rock which will, in addition to its main purpose, water, provide for road traffic between Kowloon and Sha Tin.
1.03. In May, Typhoon 'Alice' passed over Hong Kong but fortunately the ensuing damage to installations and property was not as great as experienced on previous occasions.
ORGANIZATION
1.04. The work of the Department was divided into three spheres of responsibility—Buildings and Land, Water and Communications—each headed by a Deputy Director. There were nine sub-departments.
1.05. The overall control was exercised by the Headquarters with its staff of senior officers together with the personnel and general administration branches. Certain committees, notably those for Policy, Land, Building, Roads Planning and Improvements, enabled Heads of all offices to contribute to the smooth running of the Department. In addition, the department was represented on a number of working parties set up by...