}
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Upwards of 4,700 lineal feet of nullah were trained on the Island and mainland.
Plans were prepared for the construction of Filter Beds at the Eastern end of Bowen Road, and a portion of the 18" main, which will eventually connect these Filter Beds with the City, was laid from Wong Nei Chong Village to Morrison Gap Road. Plans were also prepared for additional Filter Beds at the Kowloon Water Works.
The laying of the new 18" supply main from the Kowloon Filter Beds to Yaumati was practically completed, and a general improvement was made to the distribution system of Kowloon by replacing the existing subsidiary maina with larger ones.
Small supply systems for Repulse Bay and Fanling Districts were started,
A re-inforced concrete pier opposite Queen Victoria Street for the Ferry Service was in progress, being the first of a series it is proposed to erect for the improvement of the Ferry service of the Colony.
The Hongkong & Whampoa Dock Company, Ltd., made considerable extensions to their Dockyard at Hunghom by laying down additional slipways, extending workshops, and providing houses for their staff.
The total amount expended on Public Works Extraordinary was $2,555,877.69 and on annually recurrent works $825,493.70,
Railway.
The steelwork and roofing materials for the platform awnings at Kowloon arrived early in the year, when a Contract for the erection, including drainage, was entered into, and the work is now completed. The lighting arrangements for the platforms were carried out by the Public Works Department. The platform awnings are of steel frame construction, roofed with corrugated asbestos cement sheeting, and provide a very necessary shelter from the sun and rain to a considerable portion of the platforms, as well as to the east side of the concourse.
Good progress was made in the construction of the new wharf for Kowloon Station Yard which is built of reinforced concrete, the longest piles being 55 feet long. The wharf is 150 feet long and projects 50 feet from the sea-wall. There are six tiers of stairs which facilitate the transfer of cargo to aud from local craft at any state of the tide.
With the exception of the cast iron stair treads, the wharf was completed at the end of the year.
The Electric Turret Clock for Kowloon Station Clock Tower arrived in the Autumn and the work of installing was at once bogun. Unfortunately, however, progress has been seriously delayed owing to the non-arrival of necessary drawings and in- structions from the makers.
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The repairing of Government Motor Cars and Motor Fire Engines is now undertaken by this Department, and a brick building has been erected in the Locomotive Yard to serve 18 1 workshop for this purpose.
An iron building has also been erected near the workshops to accommodate the newly acquired electric welding plant which must necessarily be outside the workshops proper.
Owing to the gradual growth of Yaumati and neighbourhood. the question of a wide-span road bridge, where the road will pass under the Railway north of Yaumati Station was again considered. Drawings were submitted to the Consulting Engineers who have since approved the general design and steelwork details and working drawings are now in preparation.
It had been observed for some time past that the rails in Beacon Hill Tunnel were rapidly wearing down and early in the year, a fractured rail was discovered.
After a careful examination of the track throughout the tunnel, it was decided to relay with new rails, and reserve those taken out for sidinge. Sufficient rails and fastenings for this work were ordered through the Crown Agents and are now in the Colony.
Ou April the 3rd, the fitters and turners of the Colony came out on strike, and the Railway fitters were compelled by their guild to join the strikers: 16 days later the drivers and firemen were obliged to stand off in sympathy with the fitters, and turners. On April the 19th, however, the strike was settled by a Commission appointed by the Government of which the Honourable Mr. John Johnstone was chairman.
During the absence of the Chinese Drivers, men from the Navy and Army were lent by the Authorities, and greatly assisted in maintaining the train service during the period of the strike.
On August the 1st, a washout occurred on the Chinese Section near Nam Kong which necessitated the cancelling of both the down morning express, and the up afternoon express for 5 days. A temporary footbridge was erected, and the train service partly maintained by the transfer of passengers at this point until August the 8th when the repairs were completed.
Shortly afterwards, owing to internal trouble in the Kwong Tung Province, through traffic was again seriously interrupted. Fighting occurred in Chinese Territory on September 16th near Nga Yeo (20 miles from Canton). The up afternoon and down morning through expresses were cancelled that day and, from the 17th to 20th with the exception of the up afternoon express on the 20th, the through and joint sectional trains were suspended between Canton and Sheklung in Chinese territory.
Fighting recommenced in October, resulting in further trouble in the Chinese territory, some rails were removed from the track near Sheklung on October the 6th; and a railway bridge between
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