CO129-028 - Bonham - 1849 [1-3] — Page 299

HONG KONG.

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REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT

summary and speedy disposal of minor offences before a bench of magistrates, and already submitted to your Lordship, will, I have no doubt (if confirmed), materially tend to remedy this very serious evil.

I have, &c., (Signed)

The Right Hon. Earl Grey,

Encl. 1 in No..

SIR,

&c.

&c. &c.

Enclosure 1 in No.

S. E. BONHAM.

Surveyor-General's Office, Victoria, February 9, 1849.

I HAVE the honour to submit my annual report upon the works that have been exe- cured during the year, also upon the general state and repair of all civil roads and works in

the island,

1. Roads and Bridges, district of Victoria.-The Queen's road and all the streets in the town have been kept in a tolerable state of repair during the year, by the employment of convict labour thereon, the only actual expenditure having been for the cutting and removal of some rocks in Wyndham-street, Req, No 2, of 1848, which was executed for 101. 16s. 8d.; and in the Wongncichung Valley repairs, to the extent of 217. 13s. 4d., were paid for under Req. No. 9, of 1848.

The estimated value of convict labour expended in repairs has amounted to 3297. 17s. 8d. The new bridge at the Nullah North Barracks was opened during the year, which has rendered that portion of the road safe and serviceable; the expenditure thereon during the year amounted to 4437. 15s., leaving a balance unpaid upon the estimate of 67. 11s. Ild. One of the small wooden bridges (Stewart's) in the Wongneichung Valley being in a precarious state, I was directed to build a stone arch in lieu thereof, which was done for the sum of 457. 16s. 8d. Req. No. 42, of 1847. I have examined as closely as possible the three other wooden bridges in the valley; the main timbers are apparently sound; some of the lower sheathing-boards of the large bridge are partly decayed, but as the upper course is perfectly sound I do not think it unsafe, or that repairs are demanded at the present moment. An expenditure of 2854. 16s. 10d, has been made for the construction of stone-surface drains (Rep, and Est. 13, of 1845), mostly in the Chinese Town, which is very much improved thereby; and the drainage and streets in that district may be said to be quite finished, with the exception of a small portion of Hollywood-road, from thence to the Queen's-road, which it is difficult to keep in order; it, therefore, would be advisable to complete the proposed service for that reason: besides, the road would be rendered safer for carriages than it is at present, for a portion of the road is an embankment which has no parapet thereto; and the stone drain, with a raised footpath, obliges both horsemen and carriages to keep the centre of the road. The same may be said of some of the other roads and streets in the town, some of which are much frequented, and very dangerous from the want of some protection. Upon this service there is a balance unappropriated of 5301. 2s. 9d. Of the under-ground drainage little required to be done; the balance, 797. 148. 1d., unexpended (Rep. and Est. 11, of 1844) was applied to the formation of two drains; one across the Queen's-road, centre of Parade-ground; the other at junction of Albert-road with the Albany-road. A brick sewer to join the Ordnance sewer, east of the Nullah Bridge, was authorized under Rep. and Est. No. 8, of 1847, amounting to 897. 13s, but it is not yet completed, in consequence of the extreme difficulty of excavating the rock, which must be burned before it can be quarried out, which is a tedious and expensive opera- tion. Under the authority of Rep, and Est. No. 10, of 1844, I expended the sum of 371. 6s. 2d. for work in the West District, to complete the services undertaken originally, and have closed the account, leaving the sum of 21. 10s. 6d., which is not required. The Queen's- road, from the Ice House to the Nullahi Bridge, had a double row of trees planted along the footpaths, which have thriven very well indeed, considering the nature of the ground, the service having been completed for less than the estimate. (Reg. No. 28, which was only authorized to the amount of 150%) I was directed to expend the balance in planting such parts of the town which might be improved thereby. I therefore planted a portion of Albert-road, Arbuthnot-road, a portion of the Queen's-road near the Gap, and opposite the Post Office, &c. The sum expended during the year amounted to 1027. 178., the remainder being due to the contractor, and for the purchase of straw bands, with which I have been obliged to protect each tree to preserve them from the goats. There are several other roads and streets in the town, and some unoccupied or impracticable building lots, which if planted would be a vast improvement to the town, not only as to its appearance, but, I understand, equally so in a sanitary point of view. The harbour-master's pier (Rep. and Est. No. 6, of 1847) it was found necessary to extend (in consequence of the great deposit of silt) to a distance of 57 feet, as that distance is entirely dry at low-water spring tides during the south-west monsoon; and as I anticipate that the mode of construction I have odopted for the extension (by forming an opening or archway for the passage of the water) will prevent, in a great measure, the accu- mulation of silt, no further extension will be necessary. The tides during the north-east mon- soon being very high, I have been unable to get in the foundations at the extreme end, which I proposed to do without any coffer-dam; the arch, however, has been keyed in; and when the paving is finished the work will be suspended until April: 2007, was expended thereon up to the end of the year, leaving a balance on the estimate to complete it of 1647. 0s. 10d. The total expenditure during the year in the three districts of Victoria, exclusive of buildings,

STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.

has amounted to 1277. 15s. 9d.; being on account of roads, 1727. 13s. 2d. stone drains, 415. 10s. 11d,; bridges, 4897. 11s. 8d.; marine works, 2007.

The convict labour being exclusively confined to the town of Victoria, I proceed to detail the services performed by them during the year. The work executed by the convicts for the year last past may be classified under four heads; viz., repairs to roads, additional work to roads (formerly made by the convicts), clearing and levelling ground round site of Government offices, and miscellaneous work.

1. Repairs to Roads and Streets, including the Queen's-road, have been effected upon a length of 5516 yards, which, calculated upon the rate I usually adopt for convict labour, viz., 5d. a-day, gives an average of 6d. per yard, and amounts to 1517. 12s 8d. This service comprised the repair and construction of rough-stone drains, removal of slips of earth, repairs to embankments, &c. Some portions of the steep streets are exceedingly difficult to keep in repair, and in several cases the work has ranged from 9d. to 1s. 9d. per yard; the streets and roads which are nearly horizontal are kept in order for 2d. or 3d. a-yard.

2. Additional Work to Roads, &c. This comprises widening the road from the Ice-house to Pedder's-hill and Albert-road, from the latter place to the Government offices, and from the Ice-house to the church, &c.; in executing which, 2986 cubic yards of material have been cut and removed, the value of the labour being 847. 7s. 11d., or 7d. a-yard. This is a very fair average price for this kind of material, for it is seldom, if ever, contractors can be induced to undertake that work under 10d. In addition to the above amount, labour equivalent to 117. 13s. 9d. has been expending in consolidating the heavy embankment near the Murray Battery, which settled frequently and considerably during the rainy season.

3. Levelling Ground round Government Offices. This service has consisted in clearing and levelling the area adjoining the above building and the Murray Battery, to prepare the same for grassing, planting, &c., and comprises all that work not estimated or contracted for under Rep. and Est. No. 5, of 1846. Portions of this ground were exceedingly rough and full of heavy stones, and in consequence all the work could not be measured; portions of it, however, were so, some of which cost Is. 44d. per yard, but the generality of it has been done under 9d.; the total amount of labour expended thereon up to 31st December, is equal to 91. 14s. 1d. A considerable quantity of work is still required in this locality, the heaviest of which consists in sloping the ground to the rear of the Government offices and church to the road, instead of leaving it, as at present, horizontal. This work will be a great improvement to both buildings. It is exceedingly rocky in some parts, but soft in others; in all probability will cost 6d. per yard throughout; there is 23,259 cubic yards in that area, to be carried an average distance of 400 feet; so that I expect the work will occupy the labour of the whole gang of men, or 60 men, for 12 months at least, assisted by stone-cutters besides. It may therefore be estimated that the above work and the contemplated road to Government House will occupy their time for two years.

4. Miscellaneous Work is equivalent to the sum of 397. 5s. The number of convicts employed was 18,151; and the total value of labour performed amounts to 3787. 14s. 3d. During the year a large supply of new tools was demanded, which, together with repairs, has cost the sum of 977. 138. 4d; the value of the tools in use may be estimated at half of this amount, or 482. 16s. 8d.; therefore, if that sum be deducted from the above amount, the net value of all work performed will amount to 329/. 17s. 8d., being 267, 1s. 5d, more than last year.

Upon the roads in the Wongneichung Valley, 27 miles, the sum of 211. 13s. 4d. has been expended in repairs, being less than 3d per yard.

Road Wongneichung to Saiwan, 5 miles. During the early portion of the year (until May), the road surface was maintained in tolerable order for the sum of 137. 15s. Od., Req. 39, of 1847, and 3 of 1848; the wooden bridges' repairs, Req. 31 and 38, of 1847, cost 331. 19s. 3d., so that the total expenditure amounted to 471. 14s. 3d., or 1d. for the half-year. During the heavy gales and typhoons in the latter portion of the year, both roads and bridges sustained much damage, and as no expenditure has been sanctioned to rectify it, each succeeding storm and heavy rain adds considerable injury thereto, and this, together with the continued deposit of débris from the quarries, the ravages of the white ant, and encroachments of the sea, will in a short time obliterate all traces of the road; at least all those parts made along the coast. The road, although passable for horses, is unsafe in several places.

Road from Saiwan to Stanley, 43 miles.-The final payment on account of the construction of a portion of this road was paid in the beginning of the year, amounting to 737. 1s. 3d., Rep, and Est. 2 of 1846. The repairs to road surface amounted to 627. 10s. 2. on Requisi- tions 34 of 1847, 3 of 1848, and 7 of 1848. Bridges required no repair; the rate per yard for 6 months being 1d.; the road is now in tolerable order.

Old Road to Tytam, 34 miles.-This road, from its exceeding steepness, is always more expensive than the other roads, although it is only 5 feet wide on an average, the repairs to the surface amounted to 297. 5s. 4d., to the bridges 181. 10s. 10d., on Req. No. 45, of 1847, and 8 of 1848, the total expenditure being 477. 16s. 2d., or 1 d. per yard, being an equal rate with the last-mentioned road, which is twice as wide. The road is still in good repair, except in a few places.

Road from Victoria West to Aberdeen, 41⁄2 miles. The repairs to this road amounted to 76. 18s. 4d., Req. No. 43, of 1847, and 6, of 1848, for the surface; repairs to wooden bridges, Req. No. 30, of 1847, 361. 2s. 6d.; and coal tar, Req. 45, of 1847, 67. 5s. Od.; and the formation of a stone arch in lieu of a decayed wooden platform 34l. 15s. 10d, Req. 40, of 1847, so that the total expenditure has amounted to 154/. 1s. 8d., from which it appears that the rate per yard amounted to 4d., including the stone arch; this rate, strictly speaking, is chargeable on a portion of the previous year and on a greater length of road, repairs to the

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