1887-1903
COLONIAL REPORTS.- -ANNUAL.
11
as against 10,782 and 235,224 respectively in 1894. The death-rate per thousand in 1894 was for British and Foreign, 23.28 and for Chinese, 30.42. The death-rates in 1895 were 17.64 and 21.92 respectively, which are about the same as those of 1892 and 1893.
Public Works.
The new Central Market was completed in April and opened on the 1st May. It consists of two blocks, each two stories in height, the lower story having the main entrance from the Praya and the upper from Queen's Road, side entrances being also provided from Victoria and Jubilee Streets. Between the two blocks is a central avenue 20 feet in width, over which Inspector's quarters are constructed at each end.
The total area is 51,274 square feet, or 40,000 square feet exclusive of the approaches and central avenue.
The work occupied five years from the commencement of the foundations, and the total cost, including the site, was $416,000.
The extension to the gaol which was commenced in October 1893, was completed on the 20th December. The new building consists of two main blocks, three stories in height, and contains 155 separate cells, in addition to workshops and store-rooms. The whole is surrounded by a high masonry wall, and communication with the older gaol premises is provided by a sub-way under Old Bailey Street.
153
The Kowloon Waterworks, commenced in June 1891, were completed during the year, and the peninsula is now entirely independent of the Hong Kong reservoirs for its water supply. The sources of supply are three valleys situated north of the village of Yaumati. In these wells have been sunk and puddle dams constructed across their outlets to prevent the escape of sub-soil waters. A clear water tank has been constructed at Yaumati, with a capacity of 148,000 gallons, and there are reservoirs at Yaumati and Hunghein with respective capacities of 162,600 and 92,850 gallons. The water is conveyed from the wells by cast-iron inverted syphons to the clear water tank at Yaumati from which it is pumped to the reservoir on the hill north of the Rifle Range and through the distributing mains to the reservoir at Hunghom. The pumping machinery was started on the 24th December, and water has been delivered under pressure since that date.
The provision of an adequate and constant water supply is one of the most important problems with which the Colony is confronted. With a view to preventing a recurrence of the state of affairs which obtained in the spring of 1894, when the long delay in the commencement of the rainy season rendered it necessary to curtail the supply to the smallest possible dimensions, to the great detriment of the health and convenience of the Colony, it was decided to enlarge the Taitam Reservoir, which is the main source of the Colony's water supply. The project included the raising of the main embankment by 12 feet 6 inches, and the
Page 160
Page 161
1887-1903
COLONIAL REPORTS.- -ANNUAL.
11
as against 10,782 and 235,224 respectively in 1894. The death- rate per thousand in 1894 was for British and Foreign, 23-28 and for Chinese, 30-42. The death-rates in 1895 were 17·64 and 21-92 respectively, which are about the same as those of 1892 and 1893.
Public Works.
The new Central Market was completed in April and opened on the 1st May. It consists of two blocks, each two stories in height, the lower story having the main entrance from the Praya and the upper from Queen's Road, side entrances being also provided from Victoria and Jubilee Streets. Between the two blocks is a central avenue 20 feet in width, over which Inspector's quarters are constructed at each end.
The total area is 51,274 square feet, or 40,000 square feet exclusive of the approaches and central avenue.
The work occupied five years from the commencement of the foundations, and the total cost, including the site, was $416,000).
The extension to the gaol which was commenced in October 1893, was completed on the 20th December. The new building consists of two main blocks, three stories in height, and contains 155 separate cells, in addition to workshops and store-rooms. 'The whole is surrounded by a high masonry wall, and communi- cation with the older gaol premises is provided by a sub-way under Old Bailey Street.
153
The Kowloon Waterworks, commenced in June 1891, were completed during the year, and the peninsula is now entirely independent of the Hong Kong reservoirs for its water supply. The sources of supply are three valleys situated north of the village of Yaumati. In these wells have been sunk and puddle dams constructed across their outlets to prevent the escape of sub-soil waters. A clear water tank has been constructed at Yaumati, with a capacity of 148,000 gallons, and there are reservoirs at Yaumati and Hunghein with respective capacities of 162,600 and 92,850 gallons. The water is conveyed from the wells by cast-iron inverted syphons to the clear water tank at Yaumati from which it is pumped to the reservoir on the hill north of the Rifle Range and through the distributing mains to the reservoir at Hunghom. The pumping machi: ery was started on the 24th December, and water has been delivered under pressure since that date.
The provision of an adequate and constant water supply is one of the most important problems with which the Colony is con- fronted. With a view to preventing a recurrence of the state of affairs which obtained in the spring of 1894, when the long delay in the cominencement of the rainy season rendered it necessary to curtail the supply to the smallest possible dimensions, to the great detriment of the health and convenience of the Colony, it was decided to enlarge the Taitam Reservoir, which is the main source of the Colony's water supply. The project included the raising of the main embankment by 12 feet 6 inches, and the
Page 160Page 161
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