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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Public Works, Recurrent
The total increase under this head is This large increase is only $99,300. apparent, as the expenditure for the current year which was estimated at $481,000 will probably be exceeded by a sum of $107,600, so that the estimated expenditure for next year, which has been framed with a view to avoiding the necessity for supplementary votes, is rather lower than the expenditure for the current year.
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In the estimates for next year important change has been made by including under the heads "Buildings and "Communications" special votes for improvements.
Public Works, Extraordinary With regard to Hongkong under the heading "Buildings the sums provided for the first fourteen items are to complete the works mentioned therein.
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Under Item 15 a sum of $60,000 has been provided for commencing the erection of quarters for certain married European Subordinate Officers, for which it proposed to charge rent.
This is an entirely new policy on the part of the Government, and has been brought about by the very high rents which have to be paid in Hongkong and which weigh heavily on officers with families.
It is estimated that the rents which are to be charged will yield a fair return on the capital expended. An excellent site at the back of Leighton Hill has been selected for the quarters, of which there will be twelve, six containing five rooms and six containing four rooms in the form of flats.
Item 16. — Housing of European Subordinate Officers, $50,000. The total estimate of $80,000 includes a sum of $30,000 for an addition to the Harbour Office Buildings, which will contain on the ground floor a new Liquors Office and on the first and second floors quarters for two married or four single Revenue Officers. The quarters now in occupation at Breezy Point have proved entirely satisfactory.
Item 17 refers to much needed extension of the Central Police Station, details of which will be laid before you when you consider the Estimates.
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Under the heading "Communication■" a further extension of the road from Victoria Gap to High West is provided for at a cost of $10,000. It has been
decided to call this road "Lugard Road after the late Governor. A sum of $36,000 is provided for completing the road from Aberdeen to Deep Water Bay. The road will be twenty feet in width with easy gradients.
A sum of $60,000 is provided for paving the main roads in the City of Victoria in accordance with a scheme which you will remember was contained in the Report of the Public Works Committee dated the 2nd March, 1914, and laid before this Council on the 4th June, 1914. The scheme has received the approval of the Secretary of State, and it is proposed to make a beginning next year.
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Provision has also been made for pathway from Kennedy Road to Mao- donnell Road, the want of which has been much felt, for an improvement of the sharp corner at the bottom of Garden Road, and for a path from Queen's Road East to Kennedy Road to give access to sites which have been sold recently in that neighbourhood.
Drainage
You will observe that under Item 26 a considerable sum is to be devoted to training nullahs and for Miscellaneous Drainage Works.
Miscellaneous
Under this head a sum of $8,000 is provided for another telephone cable cross the harbour. The capacity of the present cable is already taxed almost to the utmost, and with the continued extension of the telephone system in Kowloon and the New Territories it has become neces- sary to provide a new eight-core cable.
A sum of $3,000 is required for continu- ing the survey of the Colony, and $1,000 for purchase of boundary stones, under a new system whereby the stones are paid for by the Government and sold required.
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The improvements to the record-room in the Colonial Secretary's Office, for which a sum of $1,200 is provided, consist of rendering half the present library fireproof, and it is intended to place there the more valuable records of the Colony in order to preserve them from destruction.
Item 45 Resumption of Piers $10,500 is the first step towards improving the ferry services between Hongkong and Yaumati and Shamshuipo. A Bill dealing with the scheme, which is the
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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The Director of Public Works will be glad to show you the plans of the road programme when you consider the Estimates. The section now provided for is that from Ta Ku Ling to join the Fan Ling-Shataukok road.
outcome of the report of a Committee main roads. appointed by me early in the year to consider this important subject, will be laid before you shortly.
Under Water Works
you will observe that large sums are required for providing a service reservoir and filter beds at West Point, and for continuing the work at Tytamtuk.
Kowloon
Turning now to Kowloon, a new market is provided for at Shamshuipo at a cost of $18,000 and an extension to the Kowloon British School of two class rooms costing $7,500.
A sum of $6,500 is provided for certain necessary additions to the Royal Observatory.
Item 56 represents an extension of the scheme of Rented Quarters, to which I have already referred, and is intended to provide a building containing two flats in the grounds of the Royal Observatory for the Chief and First Assistants.
Item 57 is for six quarters for European subordinates.
Under Lighting provision is made for a considerable extension including a of lamps down the middle of Salisbury and Nathan Roads. Under "Miscellaneous "
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$212,000 is provided to complete the Typhoon Refuge at Mongkoktsui, and a sum of $29,000 to complete the Repairing and Coaling Yard for Government
Jaunches.
The item of $1,000 for resumption of piers is in connection with the improve- ment of the ferry service to which I have already alluded."
A new filter bed, which is much needed, is provided for at a cost of $18,000.
New Territories
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Under Buildings provision is made for completing the Police Station at Lok Ma Chau and for beginning the erection of a station at Ta Ku Ling.
A market at Tai O is provided for at a cost of $4,500.
Under Communications you will observe that under Item 78 (b) (c) (d) | and (e) it is proposed, if the Secretary of State approves, to embark on a large programme of road construction, and widening of existing roads. After careful consideration it has been decided that a minimum width of formation of twenty feet should be adopted for all
Item 78 (f) provides for the improve ment of a portion of the road from Kowloon to Taipo by cutting back the banks at sharp corners and improving the curves.
Item 79 is a contribution of $1,000 by the Government, being one-third of the cost of a bridge, which is being erected by the villagers over the Shatin river.
The total sum which it is proposed to expend on Public Works Extraordinary is $2,229,785, exceeding the amount in the previous year by $98,985. The programme has been carefully revised, and works which were not of great urgency, although desirable, have been postponed. Notwith- standing this the total is higher than in any previous year, and so far as I am able to judge there is little hope of any considerable reduction until the comple tion of the Tytamtuk Scheme.
Post Office
A sum of $1,440 has been entered for three additional 5th Grade Postal Clerks, who are required in connection with the establishment of branch Post Offices at Saivingpun, Wantsai and Yaumati. Provision has also been made for Radio- Telegraph Staff for the Wireless Station at Cape D'Aguilar and for the Staff at this head is $18,499, and a sum of $253 the General Post Office. The total under is provided for miscellaneous expenditure for the same purpose. The staff includes two 4th Grade Telegraphists, one 5th Grade Telegraphist (to be 4th Grade in 1915) and one Messenger, transferred from the Harbour Office.
Kowloon-Canton Railway The Estimate of Revenue and Expendi- ture for 1915 is as follows-Earnings $435,600 and working expenses $323,455, leaving a balance of $112,145 net profit. Compared with the estimate for the current year this shows an increase of $10,754. The experiment of running night trains has been tried during this year, but has not proved successful. Footnote (3) to Appendix II. shows the estimated result of next year's working. The deficit to be made up from General Revenue is $458,510 as against $469,264 last year.
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