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wheels and axles are at present being considered by the contractors, and it is anticipated that orders for them will be placed this month, the whole to be de livered in four months' time. Mean- while the Decauville wagons will be worked by manual power. The contract time of six years hardly seems too long for the scope of the work, although a great deal of the area will be brought into use before that time. As regards Coronation Road, the sum of $12,000 will finish the work and it is anticipated that it will be finished by March next. With regard to the diaphone fog signalling installation at Waglan, only & small amount of building work is being done. The chief expenditure is in plant; there- fore, no contract has been invited for the building. It is being done under the annual contract for small works and will be ready when the machinery arrives about the end of the year. As to the refuse dump at Cheung Sha Wan, instead of the total amount of $40,000 only $5,000, the amount which it is proposed to spend this year, is given.
With regard to the houses on Severn Road and the tennis courts there, this work was begun in November, 1919. The total expenditure to date is $138,867, of which the tennis courts cost approxi- mately $17,8000. As to the question
Why separate tennis courts"? it was considered that houses of this character should have a tennis court; moreover, we had to get filling for the road and this undoubtedly had an influence in arriving at a decision. There is a penalty clause of $50 a week but it is not proposed to inflict the penalty as the delay in completing is not due to the fault of the contractor, but to non- arrival of stores from England. More- over, it has only been a short delay. One house will probably be completed two months ahead of time, and two houses about a month behind time. The total cost is something under $60,000, which
think members will agree 18 very reasonable for the character and quality of the houses erected there, and compares very favourably with other work of similar character. It has been said that it is inadvisable to spread money over so many items, but the number of contracts in the Gazette of the last few months shows how much work is unavoidable. It is not a case of a stupendous pro- gramme which has no chance of being finished in its entirely. Of course. several jobs will continue into another year at least, but a great deal of the work in the programme will be com- pleted.
As to the necessity of building houses for Government servants. I might men- tion that a man arrived a couple of days ago and there was no accommoda- tion for him; he is living at the Hong- kong Hotel at daily rates. We have been told that the Public Works Depart- ment sets up a high standard in regard to this accommodation. I do not think the buildings are any better than they
"frills.' should be, and there are no
As to the report on the tramway to Wanchai Gap this related to levels and formation drawings, but did not refer to the equipment which would very likely be two or three times the estimate for the rails. With regard to the Un Long scheme referred to by the Hon. Mr. Lau Chu Pak, that has been receiving a great deal of consideration. Mr. Carpenter, the Assistant Director of Public Works, has been to several public meetings of the people interested but it is a big scheme and will take some time to bring into operation. It provides for bund- ing in a great deal of land and making it available for cultivation. One of the
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