M 9
of launches and the exclusion of the item Maintenance of dust and water carts (transferred to Table 1). The cost works out at 60 cents per ton exclusive of Special expenditure. The higher cost as compared with previous years is due, first, to increased wages and secondly to the installation of a new boiler in towing launch S. D. 1 the cost of which ($4,500) is included in working costs; and the practice of overhauling all launches and barges quarterly and not half-yearly as in previous years.
The barges were delayed on six occasions for a short time only by typhoon signals.
Towing launch S. D. 2 broke down on two occasions. Two small sailing barges to receive Sham Shui Po refuse were put in commission in November.
NIGHTSOIL REMOVAL.
The contracts for the removal of night-soil from Victoria and the Kowloon peninsula expired on September 30th and new contracts for a period of 5 years from October 1st were signed embracing the new reclamations at Shamshuipo and Kowloon City hitherto excluded. The sum payable monthly to revenue under the new contract for Victoria is $3,200, and for Kowloon $1,950. The transfer from the old to the new contractors was carried out on the night of September 30th without a hitch.
The contract for the removal of night-soil at Shaukiwan Quarry Bay and neighbouring villages expired on December 31st and a new contract for a period of 3 years from January 1st 1922 was signed. The sum payable monthly to revenue under the new contract is $226.
Night-soil from Aberdeen and Aplichau, Stanley and Taitam was removed by contract in conjunction with the work of refuse removal. These contracts for 3 years as from January 1st 1922 were signed.
WORK DONE AT DISINFECTING STATIONS.
The appended Table shows the number of articles and vehicles disinfected and washed after disinfection during 1921. figures for 1920 are given for comparison.
1921 1920 No. of articles disinfected, Hongkong 25,571Kowloon 3,187 Hongkong 19,380
Kowloon 5 No. of public vehicles disinfected, 24 19 No. of days disinfecting apparatus in use, 184 156 No. of articles washed after disinfection, 74
31
9,103
6 17,543