# PLAGUE.
Bath-houses, Coal, etc.-Maintenance charges incidental to the establishment of bath-houses in various parts of the City. Owing to an oversight they were not previously estimated for and have been met out of "Disinfecting Tanks-Coolie Hire" during 1904.
COOLIE LABOUR AND DISINFECTANTS,
Incidental Expenses.-The first of these items has been relieved by separate provision and a further decrease on both has been found possible.
CHARITABLE ALLOWANCES,
Grant to Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.-It has for years past been customary to grant $100 at Christmas time for the provision of comforts and goods to the Society. This sum is now placed on the Estimates, that course being more regular.
Grant to LAM KAM CHUK.-She is the widow of CHONG MO KWA who died as the result of an assault by a Chinese Constable. The woman, who is 37 years old, has two children, is very poor, and has no relative capable of supporting her.
TRANSPORT.
Passage Allowance to Officers.-For many years past this vote has been far too small to meet the demands upon it and $10,000 is still only a modest estimate.
MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES.
District Watchmen Grant, $2,000.-The District Watchmen Fund was in receipt of an annual grant of $2,000 up to 1893 when the state of the Fund did not warrant its continuance but a promise was made to renew the grant whenever the Fund required assistance. The grant was restored for 3 years beginning with 1902, but is continued for 1905, although the Fund is in a good position at present, because a considerable expenditure is anticipated for accommodation at Wanchai and Saiyingpun and also in connection with a scheme for raising the District Watchmen's wages to the same rates as for the Chinese Police with the object of attracting better men. See Governor's despatch No. 166 of 1904 as to constitution, &c., of Force.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS, Engineering Staff
Junior Draughtsman.-This provision is inserted for an experiment in the employment of a Queen's College Boy (Chinese) on the routine work of tracing, inking in plans, etc., in the Drawing Office. The boy selected is being tried for six months from July without pay. If he proves useful he will come on to the scale provided.
CROWN LANDS AND SURVEYS.
Land Bailiff-The scale of salary in the Sterling Salary Scheme is £260 rising to £300, but in Mr. Mar's despatch No. 252 of 11th June the scale now provided was proposed for an additional Bailiff and as the duties of the two Bailiffs are identical both must be on the same scale, and on the recommendation of the Director of Public Works the scale for a first class Overseer has been adopted as suitable.
DREDGER.
Engineer, Foreman.--The small increases provided are granted under the authority of the Secretary of State, despatch No. 48 of the 16th February, 1900. The instructions issued in consequence of that despatch have up to the present been overlooked in the Public Works Department as regards these two men.
PUBLIC WORKS ANNUALLY RECURRENT.
These estimates have been re-arranged in order to eliminate all charges not strictly coming under the head "annually recurrent" and for clearness have been grouped under the natural divisions to which the items belong. "Extensions of Gas Lighting" and "Forming and Kerbing Streets" although undertaken annually are not recurrent matters such work being in respect of different localities each year. The miscellaneous items for Drainage, Waterworks and other works more properly belong to the Extraordinary Votes and have been transferred accordingly. The nature of the works charged against these items can readily be seen from the Annual Report of the Director of Public Works.
There being no longer a separate Water Account, the Public Works Annually Recurrent now comprises all maintenance charges, including Waterworks, chargeable to General Revenue.
Maintenance of Buildings.--$500 separately provided in former Estimates is now properly included herein and the increase of $1,500 is for the maintenance of new buildings now completed.
Maintenance of Telegraphs.-The increases are to cover the cost of further work of replacing wooden by iron poles and the maintenance of additional lines.
Maintenance of Public Cemetery.-This item it is difficult to estimate for owing to the liability to landslips on the terraces which cannot be wholly prevented nor foreseen with certainty.
Maintenance of Sewers and Nullahs.-Increased lengths of Sewers and Nullahs have had to be provided for as well as for the extra cost involved in the night cleansing of sewers along the new Electric Tramway route. The sum formerly voted has proved inadequate.
Maintenance of City and Hill District Waterworks. The increase is to meet the cost of pumping in the Tytam Tuk Valley it being hoped that the large pumping engines may be got to work before the end of the Year 1905.
Miscellaneous Services.-This head embraces many small but very necessary services always cropping up during the year which cannot with advantage be separately shown, and the provision made, which is not large, obviates the necessity for frequent supplementary votes; a close watch is kept on this and items of any importance are not generally charged against it without previous authority. The increase is based on past expenditure.
PUBLIC WORKS EXTRAORDINARY,
1. The original estimate of $40,000 was made before all the requirements were known.
2. Approved by C.O.D. 448 of 17th December, 1903.
Disinfecting Station, Kowloon.
3. See the Memorandum on the Estimated Expenditure for 1904. A further addition to the cost of this work was caused by the addition of an office for the Assistant Medical Officer of Health and Inspectors. See Mr. May's despatch No. 289 of 13th July, 1904.
4. Government Civil Hospital, Staff Quarters.--$24,000 was placed on the 1901 Estimates in accordance with Mr. CHAMBERLAIN's despatch No. 280 of 15th August, 1900, but the work was never begun. The promise to the Nursing Institute to erect quarters for its two Nurses was redeemed by the grant of $12,000, and the Nursing Institution is now making its own arrangements for housing its 2 Sisters. Additional accommodation for the Civil Hospital Sisters and Probationers is still required. It is met for the present by renting an adjacent house. The Public Works Committee recommended this work on 19th July, 1904.
5. Approved by C.O.D. 395 of 3rd November, 1903. See Memorandum on 1904 Estimates.
Page 80
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}
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PLAGUE.
Bath-houses, Coal, etc.-Maintenance charges incidental to the establishment of Owing to an oversight they were not bath-houses in various parts of the City. previously estimated for and have been met out of "Disinfecting Tanks-Coolie Hire" during 1904.
COOLIE LABOUR AND DISINFECTANTS,
Incidental Expenses.-The first of these items has been relieved by separate provision and a further decrease on both has been found possible.
CHARITABLE ALLOWANCES,
Grant to Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.-It has for years past been cus- tomary to grant $100 at Christmas time for the provision of comforts and goods to the Society. This sum is now placed on the Estimates, that course being more regular.
Grant to LAM KAM CHUK.-She is the widow of CHONG MO KWA who died as the result of an assault by a Chinese Constable. The woman, who is 37 years old, has two children, is very poor, and has no relative capable of supporting her.
TRANSPORT.
Passage Allowance to Officers.-For many years past this vote has been far too small to meet the demands upon it and $10,000 is still only a modest estimate.
MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES.
District Watchmen Grant, $2,000.-The District Watchmen Fund was in receipt of an annual grant of $2,000 up to 1893 when the state of the Fund did not warrant its continuance but a promise was made to renew the grant whenever the Fund required assistance. The grant was restored for 3 years beginning with 1902, but is continued for 1905, although the Fund is in a good position at present, because a considerable expenditure is anticipated for accommodation at Wanchai and Saiyingpun and also in connection with a scheme for raising the District Watch- men's wages to the same rates as for the Chinese Police with the object of attracting See Governor's despatch No. 166 of 1904 as to constitution, &c., of
better men.
Force.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS, Engineering Staff
Junior Draughtsman.-This provision is inserted for an experiment in the employment of a Queen's College Boy (Chinese) on the routine work of tracing, inking in plans, etc., in the Drawing Office. The boy selected is being tried for six months from July without pay. if he proves useful he will come on to the scale provided.
CROWN LANDS AND SCRVEYS.
Land Bailiff-The scale of salary in the Sterling Salary Scheme is £260 rising to £300, but in Mr. Mar's despatch No. 252 of 11th June the scale now provided was proposed for an additional Bailiff and as the duties of the two Bailiffs are identical both must be on the same scale, and on the recommendation of the Director of Public Works the scale for a first class Overseer has been adopted as suitable.
DREDGER.
Engineer, Foreman.--The small increases provided are granted under the authority of the Secretary of State, despatch No. 48 of the 16th February, 1900. The instructions issued in consequence of that despatch have up to the present been overlooked in the Public Works Department as regards these two men.
PUBLIC WORKS ANNUALLY RECURRENT.
These estimates have been re-arranged in order to eliminate all charges not strictly coming under the head annually recurrent" and for clearness have been grouped under the natural divisions to which the items belong. "Extensions of Gas Lighting" and "Forming and Kerbing Streets" although undertaken annually are not recurrent matters such work being in respect of different localities each year. The miscellaneous items for Drainage, Water-works and other works more properly belong to the Extraordinary Votes and have been transferred accordingly. The nature of the works charged against these items can readily be seen from the Annual Report of the Director of Public Works.
There being no longer a separate Water Account, the Public Works Annually Recurrent now comprises all maintenance charges, including Waterworks, charge- able to General Revenue.
Maintenance of Buildings.--$500 separately provided in former Estimates is Dow properly included herein and the increase of $1,500 is for the maintenance of new buildings now completed.
Maintenance of Telegraphs.-The increases are to cover the cost of further work of replacing wooden by iron poles and the maintenance of additional lines.
Maintenance of Public Cemetery.This item it is difficult to estimate for owing to the liability to landslips on the terraces which cannot be wholly prevented nor foreseen with certainty.
Maintenance of Sewers and Nullahs.-Increased lengths of Sewers and Nullahs have had to be provided for as well as for the extra cost involved in the night cleansing of sewers along the new Electric Tramway route. The sum formerly voted has proved inadequate.
Maintenance of City and Hill District Waterworks. The increase is to meet the cost of pumping in the Tytam Tuk Valley it being hoped that the large pum- ping engines may be got to work before the end of the
Year 1905.
Miscellaneous Services.-This head embraces many small but very necessary services always cropping up during the year which cannot with advantage be separately shown, and the provision made, which is not large, obviates the necessity for frequent supplementary votes; a close watch is kept on this and items of any importance are not generally charged against it without previous authority. The increase is based on past expenditure.
PUBLIC WORKS EXTRAORDINARY,
1. The original ostinate of $40,000 was made before all the requirements were known.
2. Approved by C.O.D. 448 of 17th December, 1903.
Disinfecting Station, Kowloon.
3. See the Memorandum on the Estimated Expenditure for 1904. A further addition to the cost of this work was caused by the addition of an office for the Assistant Medical Officer of Health and Inspectors. See Mr. May's despatch No. 289 of 13th July, 1904.
4. Government Creil Hospital, Staff Quarters.-$24,000 was placed on the 1901 Estimates in accordance with Mr. CHAMBERLAIN's despatch No. 280 of 15th August, 1900, but the work was never begun. The promise to the Nursing Institute to crect quarters for its two Nurses was redeemed by the grant of $12,000, and the Nursing Institution is now making its own arrangements for housing its 2 Sisters. Additional accommodation for the Civil Hospital Sisters and Probationers is still required. It is met for the present by renting an adjacent house. The Public Works Committee recommended this work on 19th July, 1904.
5. Approved by C.O.D. 395 of 3rd November, 1903. See Memorandum on 1904 Estimates.
80
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