1941-09-08 — Page 41

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 8, 1941.

A.R.P. ENQUIRY DISCLOSURES

(Continued from Pago 1)`' vious to that, work like road building in Shing Mun and the filter, beds in Shek Lap Pui.

ון

In 1935 you had a contract to build the servants quarters at Queen Mary Hospital valued at $95,000? Yes.

Stanley Contract

Contract Terms

The terms of the contract in which the price was 48 cents per block were that work cominenced three weeks after receiving order and nat olocks be supplied six weeks.. after the work had' commenced. A daily delivery of 2,000 blocks was one of the other terms.

The Chairman:- Has the work been completed yet? Yes, a little over a month ago.

And the same year they also had a contract to Build the Indian When was, it started?” On and Chinese quarters at Stanley October 4, 1940, but the actual Prison? Yes. valued at $227,-making of blocks did not begin *500.

until after the laying out of the moulds..

at

After that what was the next job? The Police Station

valued Takuling,

at between *$20,000 and $30,000.

And you finished the work a month ago? Yes.

How many blocks in all have you made for the A.R.P. Depart-

425,000.

not

that the vacant ground was available since it had been given over to Sang Lee.

On Crown Land

So you got your own?--No. 1 fold Captain Höbba that'... eince no ground was, supplied I was not prepared to supply the "blocks at 48 conto each. He told me to look out for a' vacant ploce of ground myself and as a 'result he obtained a plecs" of ground for me.

Crown Land?—Yes. Captain Hobbs got it for you? Yes.

So I am correct in

say- ing that

Arm your

anti Sang Lee had no facilities to make the blocks before you ob- tained the tenders? Sang Lee and your firm, neither of which Two Further Contracts, knew anything of making con-

It ment?

And the next contract? was something to do with the playground at Queen Mury Hos pital, valued at about $2,000.

Would it be correct to say after completing the job at Stanley your firm got no more contracts:

-

Yes.

At 48 cents each? Delivery ex-workshop? Yes. Governm ant pald for trans-

from Government until you start-] portation to the workshop? ed making concrete blocks? In Yes. the year 1940 we did some work

Questioned

further,

crete blocks and were given large contracts to make the blocks, also had no experience?

Yes.

Yes, and Captain Hobbs knew that the Concrete witness all the time

these blocks -

offered the whole

amount

of

in connection with No. 7 Police said that the late Capt. Hobbs Products a firm who special- Station to the exterit of something gave instructions that 500 blocks ises in making

would have to be supplied daily Was this before or after you had after the first three weeks, and blocks at 38 cents each und for Have you a bigger size of block. conercia 2.000 daily after six weeks up to the

the maximum of 250,000 blocks. | any comment to make on that?

Witness also disclosed that

I do not know why.

like $20 000.

started making blocks? Before.

Capt. Hobbs Mentioned

Well, apart from that you got: no further contracts for major) jobs until you started making: concrete blocks-Oh no, we put) up a building in Telegraph Bay for $19,800.

Well now, will you tell the Com- mission how you came to get the contract for making concrète

blocks?—I sent A tender to Mr

Hobbs...

Capt Hobbs? Yes.

How did you know that tenders were being called" --A servant from Capt. Hobbs' office telephon- ed and asked me to call at office for a tender furm.

Phone Call

he received two further con tracts for concrete blocks.

Saw Capt. Hobbs

'The Chairman: How did you come to obtain these two fur- ther contracts? From Mr. Pearce.

the

No.

P.W.D. for It?

You did not approach

other instances he received a let

Witness disclosed that as in the

ter about the matter.

Art

Not Surprised

you surprised to hear that? No 1 am not.

The Chairman; Well, you are the only man in this room who isn't.

The Chairman: In this ten- der signed by Captain Hobbs It says you must supply quotations

delivered for 250,000 concrete blocks to be from workshops in and Hong Kong and Kowloon that the addresses of the work- shops be suppiled with the ten- der?

Yes.

The Chairman:-When you got the letter instructing you to go and see somebody at the P.W.D., who did you go and see?-Captain Did you supply the P.W.D.

the Hobbs.

That was the first time you knew that the A.R.P. Department were calling for tenders for con- crete blocks? --- Yes.

I

You did not see an announce- ment in the Chinese papers? don't remember, but I think not. Do you know why your firm came to be favoured by Capt. Hobbs' department? We were invariably Informed by them whenever any tenders were being called. Who informed you? Some-

Capt. body from

Hobbs' office phoned up while I was out. Оп my return one of my fokis gave me the message,

Having got this message, did

you go?

---

Oh yes. And when you got there who did you see? - I saw Capt. Hobbs.

Did you speak in English to him? -Yes.

What did you say?--He spoke to me and said that some cement con- crete blocks were to be male. I was shown a plan and some speci- fications...

In English? Yes..

Size Of Blocks

Do you read English?-A little. You know, the specifications?--- Yes.

What were they?—I rememberi it was 112 tb. coment, 21⁄2 c.ft. sand and 5 c.ft, small stones. These were the ingredients for making the blocks.

You sent in a tender, you say? -Yes.

Was the size of the blocks men- tioned? Yes. It was 171⁄2 x 8 x 82.

Was that in writing, or was that told to you verbálly?—It was, in writing. - I- ̈ have got the paper here,

Witness then produced a slip or paper which was handed up."

with the addresses? I did not. What did you tell him?—I told Why not? Is not the answer him that I received a letter asking that it was because you had none? me to supply 100,000 concrets-Before sending in our tender we

blocks.

were informed that the successful

"very well, carry on with_it."

What did he say? He said lender would be given a piece of ground on a site at the Army Ord-

Office. Witness continued that after thisnance

Captain Hobbs lot was completed he again receiv-knew that I had no ground for ! ed a letter asking for a second lot, to'd him that I could not carry on. | and 'os in the previous case he went and saw Captain Hobbs who

the gave

same answer,

"Very well, carry on with It."

The Chairman:--Before you re-

ceived the order did your Atem make any concrete blocks?--No,

never.

Was there anyone in your firm who had any experience of mak- ing blocks?--Yes, a foreman.

What is his name?-Ng Ho, Where does he live?-In Sham- shuipo.

Testing Blocks

How much do you you pay him? -$50 a month, food and travelling expenses.

Witness, however, disclosed that the foreman had experience In making concrete blocks for roof- tops but not in the special kind the ARP Department used..

The specifica- The Chairman: tions in the letter signed by Cap- tain Hobbs say that the Company should bear the cost of testing the blocks? Yes. ··

Have you ever been called upon by the P.W.D. to bear the cost of testing the blocks?- Never.

Do you

know whether any blocks were tested by the P.W.D.?

-Yės.

When? Every Monday morn- ing the blocks were to be carried to the P.W.D.

$20,000 Profit

The Chairman:-How much did vour Arm make

con- out of the tract?-A nett profit of $20.000,

Do your firm keep books?-

Yes.

Will you produce all those with entries concerning the blocks?— Yes,

Are you doing any other con. tracts for Government?~~~~Yes, the Emernency Oil Stores. What is the value of that con-

tract? $51,600.

How did you get it? Tenders were sent to the C.S.O.

-

Did you see Captain Hobbs about it? Yes, he gave me the particulars with which I filled in

the forms.

How long have you known him? About a year after his arrival in, Hong Kong.

Cost Of Moulds

Six or seven years? Yes. Roughly how much did your moulds cost your firm?

Wooden ones, $4 each and iron ones be- tween $5 and $6 each..

Don't you know the total cost?

Some $15,000,

What did you intend to do with. them? They are useless." ". $20 000 profit? Yes:

Are they calculated" in your

Do you know whether they were actually tested?-I've heard

Witness was instructed to re- that the blocks were taken to be turn to-morrow with his books tested to the Green Island Cement

when the Inquiry resumes at 9.30 Works,

You personally have never scenam. In the Pulsne Judge's Court, them tested? Never.

Complaints

TUNNEL CLOSED

48 Cents A Block "In reply to the Chairman wit

ness said at first there were com- In reply to the Chairman, wit-plaints that the blocks were not ness said that the instructions he satisfactory by Captain Hobbs and received to make the concrete it was discovered that the Blocks blocks were in writing Witness were taken away before they had produced the documents, which been submerged in water for two THE AR.P-TUNNEL OP- gave ~ the specifications, accom-weeks after being completed. POSITE THE NAVAL HOSPI pabled by a plan; ; ^^

The Chairman:--Where do you TAL HAS BEEN CLOSED. MA The Chairman; — WI price make the blocks? -At-North Mr. H. J. Pearce, Acting Direc did your firm quote? - I sent Point, in three or four tenders. The You have a yard there? Yes, tor of Public Work, told the. final price agreed upon was 48] -- Did you have this ward before "China Mail that thieves were cantes par blook

making the blocks-No.-LIN continually stooling from there Witness added that at first the So the position in this when tunnels and it was decided as a price was 42 cents per block, you obtained the tender you had temporary measure to blocks the later 43 cents per block and no facilities to make the blocks? entrances with light**** Branite finally increased according to the Captain Hobbs said that a va- blocks." conditions & in each case which | cánt piece of ground would" - bà¦) Thch

Blocks;- Mr.-Pearce "ext required the blocks to bo'sup-given to the successful tender at plained, could be broken down plied within certain periods and the Army Ordinance Office Lot in the course of a few minutes transportation charges: 7

Per I was told by Captain Hebbalahould be necessity arise

NO Odors

Phone: 28183

THE DAIRY FARM ICE & COLD STORAGE. CO., LTD.

Page

Ice Prevents Flavour Taint

Melting Ice automatically creates, throughout the whole refrigerator, a con istant circulation of fresh, clean-washed, odour-free air. Any odours that mighte larise are instantly absorb-- ed by the surface-film-of water on the melting ice. Ice mbang "óãður÷free”!!~!

AVICE, IS BEST!.

MADE TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF BRITISH EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY

Coldair

REFRIGERATORS

MADE IN ENGLAND

by the G.E.C.

THE GENERAL ELECTRIC Colo

prezenting "THE GENERASIEU

FOR.

MODERN

HINA LT

PHOTOGRAPHY

WEDDING GROUPS SPECIALITY.

AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE USE

KING'S STUDIO

TEL. 20765

Peaceful sleep for baby!

Only when his delicate little digestive system is in perfect onler can baby Enjoy sleep tight through the night.

dose of Woodward's Gripe Water after the last meal removes the cause of restless nights by checking fermentation and ensuring complete digestion of milk and other foods.

dward's “contains no opiates, and always quite safe to give.

WOODWARDS

GRIPE WATER keeps baby well

Sole Agents: