17
-4-
The Director of Public Works urged strongly that serious consideration should be given to the state of the roads. in the Colony, which he considered were quite unable to cope with modern heavy traffic. On this point members were in full agreement with him. Ho indicated that a good doal of his vote for maintenance of roads under Public Works Recurront was in fact being spent on reconstruction. Accordingly it was agreod that for 1952/53 and future years the vote for maintenance of roads should be reduced from $44 millions to $2 millions, and that reconstruction of public roads should be provided for under a five-year programme. It was estimated that the cost would be in the region of $20 million, and accordingly we agreed that the sum of $4 million should be provided annually. The Director of Public Works produced an appropriate programme which is appended to this Report for consideration.
Social Welfare.
Provision is made under this head for two projects to which Government is committed. The Director of Public Works did not consider that he could commence the new Remand Home before 1953/54.
Water Supplies.
Tw of the items under this head, namely service reservoirs and experimental wells in the New Territories appear in the oxisting five-year programme and are continued. second item, Tai Tam/ Shaukiwan water supply, is a new project in two stages. Tho first stage has already been approved by Finance Committee for this year, and it is recommended that the second stage, which will carry Tai Tam water from the Gap down to Shaukiwan and Taikoo, be proceeded with in 1953/54. We have provisionally included the sun of million for a water supply to Cheung Chau Island, where we understand that the situation is far from good. We understand the schemo involves laying a pipe along the soa-bed to. bring water across from Lantau, and we suggest that if approved the scheme should be carried out in 1953/54. We feel that the reconstruction of water mains, which is an essential part of the improvement of the water supply of the Colony, should be considered as paft of the five-year programme, and we have accordingly incorporated it from Public Works Non-Recurrent. We have included the Tai Lam Chung scheme in the five-year programme, although it is financed from the Development Fund. It appears to us that oven if the money is not being provided from general revenue, it is appropriate that if the programme is to give the overall picture, all schemes should be included under it.
Signed.
ARTHUR CLARKE
THEODORE L. BOWRING
..P. S. CASSIDY
•
•
D
NGAN SHING KWAN
0 0
· ·
November, 1951.