CO129-346 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [1-3] — Page 101

33

unwaldy owing to the fact that the road is for the most part

unmetalled, and is only 15 feet wide, extremely tortuous and

ascends the Kowloon Range of Hills at a gradient of 1 in 20 to

a gap 441 feet above sea level. The wagon therefore can only be

used in the dry weather and the Chief Resident Engineer has not

yet been able to find a driver who can satisfactorily drive it.

In these circumstances it does not appear necessary to furnish

replies to each of the questions contained in the enclosure to

Your Lordship's Circular Despatch. I have it, however, under

consideration to construct several roads in the New Territories

on the principle common in large undeveloped countries, e.g. by

laying out the line of the road and levelling its surface

throughout without attempting to metal it until the whole un-

-metalled length is complete. If this plan is adopted it is

possible that mechanical transport of the kind referred to in

Your Lordship's Circular may be usefully tried provided that

there is material requiring transport sufficient to render such

a method advisable. I shall in that case avail myself of the

opportunities for acquiring the latest information on this

subject which the institution of the Committee referred to by

Your Lordship will afford.

I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient,

humble servant,

Governor,&c..