CO129-413 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [8-10] — Page 36

No

N°

296....

Sir,

301

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 21st August, 1914.

34

M

I have the honour to inform you that I have had under consideration the improvement of the means of communication in the Northern District of the New Territories not only in order to provide feeders for the railway but to fit those feed- ers for motor car traffic which is likely to assume considerable development if opportunity is afforded.

2.

Sir Matthew Nathan originally sanctioned a scheme for a main road through the district in question from East to West i.e. from Shataukok to Castle Peak Bay. This road was designed to be ultimately of a with of 14 feet but was begun to a width of 6 feet only between Castle Peak and Ping Shan. It was subsequently widened to 8 feet and continued to Fanling at this width. Between Fanling and Au Ha it was made the full width of 8 feet in order to receive the light railway from Fan- ling to Shataukok. Between Au Ha and Shataukok the railway does not follow the road and this length of the road has not been

made.

3.

I now desire to widen this main road to a width of 20 feet over-all which will give an effective width on banks and in cuttings of 18 feet for traffic. This is not too much where the traffic is fast. There has been considerable develop- ment in the neighbourhood of Fanling and Castle Peak and Chinese from Canton are showing a welcome tendency to settle in these districts. Good roads fit for motor cars will certainly prove

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

&C.

&c.

&c.