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it is felt that this unsatisfactory position has continued long enough. It has therefore been decided to construct a further camp in the Chatham Road area, and a sum of $1,600,000 has been included for this under sub-head 15.
As regards sub-head 18, work on the
Broadcasting studios in the new Electra House is well in hand. The advice of the B. B. C. was obtained in regard to the equipment for the new studios, and it is now estimated that this, together with the cost of alterations to the building rendered necessary by variations in the design of the studio floor, will amount to $400,000. An application has been submitted for a grant from the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund amounting to $250,000 to cover a portion of the costs, and there is reason to hope that this will receive approval. The sum of $25,000 included under sub-hoad 18 represents the balance of the sum of $150,000 provided during 1949/50 which is still unexpended.
In regard to sub-head 19, the sum of $1 million was provided last year for the constructionof a hutted labour camp in the New Territories with the object of relieving over-crowding in Stanley Prison, and to enable useful schemes such as roclamation work to be carried out by petty offenders with short hard labour sentences. Difficulties were experienced over the question of a site, and when plans were prepared, it was found that such a camp could not be built for the sum provided. The bulk of the admissions to Stanley Prison are in respect of short term sentences for opium offences, hawking without a licence and brothel keeping, and a small committee has been set up to consider whether such cases could not be dealt with by deportation or other means instead of saddling the taxpayer with their upkeep and the provision of additional accommodation for their reception. The over-crowding at
Stanley has temporarily been much relieved, as there has been a drop in admissions, and no final decision will be taken in regard to this camp, which it is now estimated will cost $1,800,000, until the report of the committee has been considered.
The sum of $1,060,000 under sub-head 22 is for the completion of a sea wall for a longth of 1,000 feet at North Point to provide an area for dumping and thus reclaiming valuable land.
Sub-head 23 provides for the balance of the expenditure on a contract which was let during the present year for the strengthening of the runways at Kai Tak, and for certain other comparatively minor improvements to the Airport,
Under Sub-head 25 the sum of $21 million is provided for works contingent on land sales. $2 million of this is to meet commitments resulting from the
conditions of sale for the provision of roads and drainage in new areas to be opened up for building purposes.
The balance is for the continuation of work on the
reclaimed land at Kun Tong, which has buon purchased by the Asiatic Petroleum Company.
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