69
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Engineers estimate that the water available will suffice for
estimated requirements until about the year 1945, provided
that the estimated annual increments of demand are not
exceeded.
5. In paragraph 62 of the report the Consulting
Engineers draw attention to the necessity of investigating
suitable sources of sand supply.
6. The Consulting Engineers in paragraphs 60 to 65
consider the method which should be adopted for constructing
the works, and recommend that the work be carried out without
the services of a major contractor. If however the Colonial
Government consider it desirable to place the work out to
tender the Consulting Engineers think that the Government
should specify the plant which should be employed upon the
work in order to ensure that the work may be carried out
economically. This proposal is a novel one, and would appear
to prevent the contractors utilising such plant as they
might possess. If the Government purchases the necessary
plant, one of the advantages which is normally obtained by
construction by contract ceases to operate.
7. The Consulting Engineers estimate that, at current
prices, the cost of completing the main and subsidiary dams
and works ancillary thereto, including contingencies but not
engineering or supervision will amount to $8,000,000.
8. With regard to paragraphs 42 and 43 of the report
which deal with the investigation of the site of the Shing Mun
Gorge dam, the Consulting Engineers inform us that Mr Binnie
is leaving for Singapore in the Autumn and could visit the
site in order to inspect the foundations as revealed by the
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