(4)
ing a sewerage system to deal only with Homuntin and to dis- charge North of the Harbour of Refuge was $50,000, and that a scheme embracing the whole of Mongkoktsui and Yaumati areas was already receiving considera- tion from the Public Works De- partment.
At that time proposals had not been sufficiently concrete to be submitted to the Government and much investigation, we were told, was necessary. That was three years ago. Need I remind the Government that residents of Ho- muntin pay precisely the same taxes as other residents of the therefore, Colony? It does not,
appear equitable that they should be penalised to the extent of being still left without facilities for a water-carriage system which from an hygienic point of view is al- most an indispensable necessity in these days of modern sanitary requirements. In the interests of the Crown lessees of the Homun- tin area I appeal to Your Excel- lency to have their grievance re- dressed from the point of view of equity, if from no other considera- tion.
Dangerous Roadways.
Residents, not only of Kowloon, but of Hongkong as well, driving along the Castle Peak Road, had hoped that when the new War- ders' Quarters at Lai Chi Kok were being erected, provision would have been made for widen- ing the road at a dangerous cor- ner. They cherished a vain hope, and the corner had been rendered more unsafe for motor traffic than it has been before; for not only was the roadwidth maintained but a wall has been erected on the edge of the road, shutting off what little vision there had been. That more serious accidents have not occurred at this point in the road -I believe there was one case re- cently is a tribute to the skilful and careful driving of motorists.
on
The universal practice in road construction is, I believe, to widen the road at all bends, particular- ly when the gradient is steep, and to introduce super-elevation the outside of the curve. More- over, ample vision should be pro- vided. I suggest that improve- ments at the first bend going up what is popularly known as Lai Chi Kok Hill are an urgent public necessity, and should be put in hand at once.
The Government is to be com- mended on the provision of $10,- 000 for improving Waterloo Road from Nathan Road to the Railway Bridge. Is it to be assumed that the plan is simultaneously to form the road to the East of the exist- ing Nullah in the same way that the road has been completed
North of the bridge? When the development of the Homuntin area is completed traffic over this sec- tion of Waterloo Road will be very greatly increased.
Sai Kung Road.
Touching on the question of roads, I am again driven to a re- ference to Sai Kung Road. I am aware that certain members of this Council do not share my view that the laying-out of money in the construction of the first sec- tion of the Sai Kung Road to Ma Yue Tong is going to be a re- .munerative venture. With me it has become a conviction that no more profitable employment can be found in the Colony for ratepay- ers' money than the building of new roads that offer prospects for the opening up of new building sites. The road to Ma Yue Tong is just of that type that satisfies all the arguments in favour of its construction, viz., access to sites 'unrivalled for the picturesque- ness of their situation, superb scenery, easiness of levelling and forming, and the provision of a 'solution for the vexed bathing beaches problem. I am not alone in my advocacy of the Sai Kung Road
from the as an extract speech of the President of the Hongkong Automobile tion on the 29th March last will show. Mr. L. C. F. Bellamy said:
Associa-
"I should like to refer to the Sai Kung Road project in the New Territories. In his Budget speech on September 5th, 1929, the Colonial Secretary called at- tention to the proposed Circular Eastern Road. The wonderful possibilities of this enterprise have been stressed on many sub- sequent occasions.
All
members of this Association earnestly hope that Government finances will soon render it possible to proceed with the Sai Kung Road scheme and your Committee is of opinion that any reasonable outlay in con- nexion with the proposed road will prove a sound Government investment."
Such then is the considered opinion of a group of business
men.
Garden City Scheme.
The Kowloon Tsai Garden City Development, at an estimated total cost of $403,300, is an ex- periment the success or failure of which will be watched with con- siderable interest. It should not be too early at this stage to re- quest that, in this important and extensive development, people of small means should be considered and afforded opportunities to ac- quire small areas for the building of their own homes. The laying out of large lots only might pre- clude people with little savings (Continued on Page 16).
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