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by Colonial Ordinances. It has been decided therefore to construct the Barracks with a finite lintel at either end instead of the arch, and the design, thus revised, has received the sanction of His Excellency the Governor.
The new railing will be executed as ordered. The Circular D.W.W. 145 had not been received at Hong Kong when the plan details were framed. I think this a favourable opportunity for submitting the question whether the buildings of the War Department are in any manner to be subject to the control of the Colonial authorities as regards their construction, &c. A new Building Ordinance is under consideration by a Committee of the Legislative Council, of so very restrictive a character, that the interests of the War Department will be considerably affected by it, unless a clause of exemption, in favour of buildings for Her Majesty's Service, be inserted, as is done in the metropolitan Building Act.
I enclose a draft of the proposed Local Ordinance, and I request that the opinion of the War Department Solicitor may be...
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