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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
amounting to $30,550. The estimated ex- penditure under the programme now sub- mitted is $38.790--kerbing, and channel ling numbers of streets in New Kowloon mostly Kowloon City and some in Sam- shuipo; also scavenging lanes and slab pavings to footways make up a total of $70,000. A supplemental vote of $50,000 is required. The whole of this is caused by the rapid development of Samshuipo and a portion of Kowloon City Reclama- tion.
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HON. MR. BIRD Is that work done by contract or measured up and paid for by schedule rate?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS- By schedule rate. The slabs are supplied from our own quarries. The amount of it is owing to the very abnormal amount of building. It is a vote that keeps up with the building.
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HON. MR. BIRD I presume all the measuring is checked by Europeans?
THE DIRECTOR or PUBLIC WORKS- It is checked two ways; not only checked off the plans but gone over by European
overseers.
Approved.
A Motor Truck for Opium Conveyance
$2,145, on account of Imports and Ex-
ports Department, Special Ex- penditure, One Motor Truck.
THE CHAIRMAN-This is required by the Imports and Exports Department to convey opium from the factory to the office. The chassis cost $1,700 and the body was built by the Railway Depart ment. It saves time, and the use of a launch.
Approved.
Artificial Legs
$760, on account of Kowloon-Canton Railway, Special Expenditure, Artificial Legs.
THE CHAIRMAN — The $760 for ob- taining the very best artificial legs that can be got. A man lost both his legs on the railway and the legs he got were very unsatisfactory and gave him a lot of pain.
I believe. We decided to get the best; they are entirely satisfactory; very light and very strong.
Approved.
A Hulk at Deep Bay $10,000, on account of Police and Fire Brigade, A.-Police, Special Expenditure, One Hulk.
THE CHAIRMAN-This matter has been considered by the Finance Committee. It is for the establishment of a hulk at Deep Bay instead of a land police station.
Approved.
A Patrol Path in the New Territories
$3,000, on account of Public Works, Extraordinary, New Territories, Communications, Patrol Path- Sheung Shui to Ta Ku Ling.
THE CHAIRMAN This path was in the estimates for 1919 and again in 1920 but difficulties occurred as to an actual site. It has now been decided to make the path from Sheung Shui to the frontier at Ta Ku Ling. It is a 3 ft. path.
Approved.
Miscellaneous Public Works $10,000, in aid
Public of the vote Works, Extraordinary, Mis- cellaneous, (35) Miscellaneous Works.
THE CHAIRMAN-I circulated this vote to the Finance Committee. The proposal is to take a vote of $10,000 to cover all the expenditure of a number of small sums for miscellaneous works up to the end of the year. By the time the pro posal was circulated, the vote was exceed- ed by nearly $1,000. Since then one of the members of the Committee expressed the view that they would like to know what all the items were. Up to now the items amount to $1,883; they include: converting a latrine at the Harbour Office, a safe and stand for the D.P.W's. office in which to keep valuable docu- ments, ceiling fans at warder's mess- room, Victoria Gaol, alterations at the Armoury for the security of the arms. If members would like to reduce this vote, it could be cut down to $5.000 and I could circulate votes required from time to time.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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HON. MR. HOLYOAK How much will the unused balance 'be ?
THE CHAIRMAN-Just over $70,000. Cut it down to $5,000; that may cover every thing.
The vote was reduced to $5,000 and approved.
Harbour Improvements
$2,500, on account of Public Works, Extraordinary, Harbour Im- provements.
THE CHAIRMAN-This is required in connection with the investigation now being made with a view to the report of Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice. The engineers were engaged on taking soundings and doing other work in the harbour requir- ing the following:-Rowing boat, sound- ing wire, anchor rod, tide gauges, buoys, pricking gear, hire of sampans and men and hiring a small junk. $250 is requir ed to cover further items. The total only amounts to under $1,000 but various things arise in connection with this work and we do not want to delay it at all.
Approved,
Communications Needed by New Building
$13,700. in aid of the vote Public Works, Extraordinary, Hong- kong, Communications, (16) Roads (9) General Works.
THE CHAIRMAN-This is required in connection with the new building, com- pleted or nearing completion. The posi- tion of the vote is: $60.000 has been pro- vided in the estimates and the pro-
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gramme submitted and approved amounts to that.
Now a second programme of work is required in connection with new building completed - kerbing, channel- ling, relaying kerbing, cement concrete walls, slab paving, etc., $13,700.
HON. MR. POLLOCK The time of the Finance Committee would be saved if a great many of these were circulated beforehand.
THE CHAIRMAN-I was afraid I was circulating too many things to the Finance Committee. I will have everything over a certain amount circulated.
The vote was approved.
The Quarry Workshop
$6,000, on
account of Public Works, Extraordinary, Hongkong, Mis- cellaneous, Additional paving sheds, and extension of concrete pile moulding platform at Quarry Workshop.
THE CHAIRMAN-This is in connection with the Quarry at Tsat-si-mui. There is a tremendous lot of work going on there. If members were to pay a visit there they would be much interested to see the work going on.
Approved.
Re-Building Prison Shed at Lai-chi-kok
$6,000, on account of Public Works, Extraordinary, Kowloon, Build- ings, Re-building of certain prison sheds at Lai-Chi-Kok.
Approved,