CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 212

O O P Y.

Enclosure No. 1 to Despatch No.481 of the

5tb. November, 1903.

Hon. Colonial Secretary,

C. O.

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In accordance with His Excellency's verbal request, I attech a statement by Mr. Boulton regarding the position of the present and proposed Praya Reclamation Sohemes. That a reclenation eastwards must be taken in band at the earliest possible opportunity is indispensable on account of the very insanitary condition of the eastern foreshore at low water, apart from the reasons mentioned by Mr. Boulton. The sewage of the entire district of the City east of Albany Nullab is discharged over this foreshore, a large area of which is ex- posed at low tile.

There is much to be done before the

actual work can be begun and I subait that the services of the Engineers who have been engaged upon the reclaustion now drawing to a close cannot be more beneficially employed than in perform- ing the necessary preliminary work,

Should the Secrabery of State got see

fit to appoint Mr. Boulton, Assistant Director of Public Works, it is my intention to propose that he should be appointed to be Engineer in obarge of the Praye Bast Scheme, having full control of the work, subject only to the general direction of the Director of Public Works. I feel confident that no better ar- rangement could be made. Meanwhile, his services are being al- most entirely utilized in performing the duties of Assistant Director of Public Torks.

Should any very exceptional delay occur in actually commencing the Praya dest Reclamation, it would be possible to keep both Mr. Boulton and Mr. Mudie fully employed on what may be termed extraor linary work, such as that referred to in Mr. Chadwick's reports, namely, compiling record plans of the drains in the City, reconstructing the sewers across the Praye Reclamation and preparing drawings and estimates for various reclamations required for Government purposes in Kowloon.

The position of the Department at present

is that great difficulty is experienced in coping with the actual requirements of the Colony and that little or nothing can be done in the direction of providing for future requirements, which must be regarded as a very unsatisfactory state of matters in a place which is developing so rapidly as Hongkong.

As may be gathered from Mr. Chadwick's

reports