CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 214

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Enclosure No. 3 to Despatch No. 481

of the 5th. November, 1903

210

C. O.

5044

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-D

Hon. Director of Public Works.

With reference to 0.0.0.287 of 1963:-

It may be assumed that the Praya Bast Reclamation will be carried out in some shape or form. It is advisable that it should be carried out at once in order to provide for the population to be dislodged by resumptions of house property under the new Public Health and Buildings Pill, as well as for natural expansions.

Whatever shape it may take it will be neces- sary to raise the level of the present Praya and adjoining streets, and to re-construct the sewers and storm-water drains for a great distance inland. This will require a detailed survey of streets and buildings covering an area of 130 acres, showing the lines and levels of all main and branch sewers and dreins, house and gully connections, sile-channels, fo., to., The sea- bed on an area of 170 acres will also require to be surveyed with sufficient accuracy to admit of the preparation of contract drawings. All these surveys should be done if possible before the Ordinance is passed so that there may be no needless delay thereafter in putting the work in hand.

These surveys and the detailed designs of the work to be based upon them would fully employ Messrs. Boulton and Mudie, even if they were otherwise quite free. But although the present Praya Reclamation Works are nearly completed the Bngineers will be occupied for some tims in adjusting the ac- counts, which are somewhat complicated.

The present reclamation is divided into 7 sections, and the actual cost of each has to be separately ac- counted for. As the divisions of the whole work into contracts have not coincided with the divisions into sections, and as the Plant account is spread over part of the Reclamation, and the Generel charges account over the whole, a good deal of measuring estimating and adjusting will be required before the accounts can be closed,

The reason for dividing the work into 7 sections, namely the varying depth of water, is not in my opinion sound. The whole reclamation has been carried out as one work, and the cost should have bean spread evenly over the allotments in proportion to their areas.

In carrying out the Praya Bast Reclamation

one