P.W.E. New Territories.
84
(c.) Ping Shan to Castle Peak,- Widening to 20 feet the existing road between Au Tau and Castle Peak.—It was originally proposed to widen to 16 feet this length of road which had been constructed with a width of 6 to 8 feet, but, as the result of representations made to Government, it was decided to widen it to 20 feet. As mentioned in last year's Report (para. 151), the widening to 16 feet of the portion between Shui Pin and Castle Peak was undertaken in September, 1917. Contracts for the remainder of the work were let to local village elders and the whole of the widening was finished in a satisfactory manner in September. It was considered unnecessary to widen the major bridges, which remain at their original width of 14 feet.
The cost of land resumptions amounted to $774.49.
1918 Estimates, $25,000.00 Total Estimates,... $35,000.00 1918 Sup. Vote, 14,300.00 $39,300.00 Expenditure to 1918 Expenditure,... 39,143.47 31/12/18, 46,785.23(d) Taipo Road,- Widening and improving road past Kowloon Reservoir and between Shatin and Taipo.-The improvements of that portion of road which skirts the Kowloon Reservoir were finished in August and resulted in reducing the length, which was formerly 2,500 feet, by 350 feet.
A contract for widening to 20 feet and improving the bends between Shatin and Taipo was let in August and by the end of the year considerable progress had been made, 3,000 lineal feet of road northwards of the level crossing at Shatin having been completed and opened to traffic. Numerous sharp bends on the portion of road traversing the hillside, after leaving Tide Cove, had been cut back and improved.
Land resumptions amounted to $359.24.
1918 Estimates, $40,000.00 Total Estimates, .. $54,156.89* 1918 Expenditure,... 28,496.02 31/12/18, ........(e.) San Tin to Lok Ma Chau Police Station,-12 feet wide.- A contract for this work was let to a local village elder in February and, by September, the work was finished. The contract included an extension of the road, 1,800 feet in length with a width of 8 feet, to the Police boat house, and the improvement and surfacing with lime and cement concrete, 2" thick, finished with a layer of cement concrete, 2" thick, of the approach path to the Police Station.
The length of the 12-foot road, which runs almost entirely across cultivated land, is 3,900 feet. The work included the con-
* This sum includes the cost of improving the road between the 5th and 9th milestones.