CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 435

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The erection of a further terrace of six two-storeyed houses on the east side of Happy Valley for quarters for Subordinate Officers was begun and extensive resumptions of property, costing #244,362. 60, were carried out with a vier to extending the Central Police Station.

The Mongkoktsui Breakwater and contingent works were com- pleted in August, a stone commemorating the event being laid by His Excellency Sir F. H. May, K.C.M.G., L.L.D., on the 16th Decem- ber. The works were completed in two months under the con- tract time of five years.

The total expenditure to the end of 1915 was $2,181,571.91, a small balance remaining to be paid in 1916, to cover which and other small items, a sum of $30,000 has been provided in the 1916 Estimates.

The breakwater is 3,325 feet in length and encloses an area of 165 acres. Entrances to the refuge are provided at both ends of the breakwater, the southern being 300 feet and the northern 300 feet in width.

In addition to the breakwater, the work comprised a concrete and masonry pier 450 feet long by 30 feet wide and a reclamation extending over a rocky shoal near the northern entrance. The reclamation has an area of 187.100 square feet and is protected partly by a pitched slope and partly by a concrete and masonry sea- wall. A short masonry pier-head projects from the reclamation.

The depth of water at the entrances at L.W.Q.S.T. is 18 feet, the depth within the shelter varying from 9 feet to 18 feet,-82%.of the enclosed area has a depth exceeding 12 feet at L.W.OS,T, and 56% has a depth exceeding 15 feet.

The breakwater consists of a rubble mound 192 feet in width at the base, 20 feet at the top and 44 feet in height. It is faced above L.W.O.S.T. with concrete blocks on the outer side and coursed granite rubble pitching on the inner side and is paved on top with concrete blocks. A trench of an average depth of 9 feat was dredg- ed in the harbour bottom for the entire length and width of the base of the breakwater prior to the deposition of rubble. The rubble mound is composed of stone varying in weight from cwt. to 5 tons, the total quantity deposited being ahout 850,000 tons.

In all, 12,453 concrete blocks were used in the work, of which 11,379 wera pitching and paving blocks of 2 tons each and the remainder principally foot-blocks for the inner slope, which were of the same weight. The foot-blocks for the heads of the break- water, which are of granito encased in concrete, are much heavier, weighing over 5 tons each and the foot-blocks for the outer slope are wholly of granite and weigh 3 tons each. The granite pitch- ing stones for the inner slope averaged ton in weight, 17,098 being

used.

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The large masoury dam of the Tytan Tak Reservoir was con- structed to a height of 49 feet above the stream-bed, or a total height of 90 feet from the lowest part of the foundations and, towards the end of the year, a considerable quantity of water was impounded. The laying of two additional cast iron pumping mains, 18 diameter, was completed. An extension of the pumping station buildings to accommodate the additional puinping machinery. the whole of which arrived from England, was nearly completed. The new boilers were set and a commencement was made with the erection of the pumping engines.

A new 20 foot road, a mile in length, extending from the old Aberdeen-Stanley road, in the vicinity of the Village of Little Hong- kong to Deep Water Bay was completed and opened to traffic at the end of the year. In the City, Borhan Strand West and portions of Des Voy Road Central and Chater Road were surfaced with 2" of Asphaltung on a cement concrete foundation. Several new streets, both in the City and in Kowloon, were formed, kerbed, chamelled und surfaced

In the New Territories, the mad from Tai Pu to Fanling was completed, including the two bridges referred to in last year's report. A commencement was made with the bridging of the Au Tan Creek, which will link up the two sections of road already constructed and connect Castle Peak District with Fauling. Tai Po and Kowloon Point. Portions of the read must however be considerably widened before the road can be opened for motor traffic. The widen ing of a section of the road, extending from near Sheung Shui Train Halt to San Tin Village, (360 miles in length), was undertaken and was nearly completed by the close of the year. The road is being widened to 20 feet.

The extension of the road and the pier at Castle Peak Bay were completed.

Upwards of 1,000 lineal feet of streams were trained in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, in the City and HL District and in Kowloon. In the New Territories, the training of the streame in the vicinity of the Railway bungalows at Tai Po was continued. Various and considerable extensions of sewers in connection with new building lots were carried out in Hongkong and Kowlootb

The Repairing and Coaling Depot for Government Launches, at Yaumati. described in last year's Report, was completed except the carriage and hauling gear for the slipway and the erection of the pier. It was decided to instal an electric capstan for hauling up vessels on the slipway. The ironwork for the pier did not arrive until the latter part of the year.

In connection with a proposal by the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Co. to erect a pier, having a depth of 30 feet alongside at the lowest tides, at their Kowloon Point premises, the Government undertook to dredge the berths alongside the pier and

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