12.
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PUBLIC WORKS.
Arrangements for the Shing Mun Scheme.
LOCAL BROADCASTING.
The Hon. Director of Public Works said:
FINANCE POINTS.
Official Reply by Hon. Colonial Treasurer.
LOAN CONVERSION.
The Hon. said:
Colonial Treasurer
Sir, The Hon. Sir Henry Pollock has raised the point as to convert- ing the present Public Works Loan, 1927. This question has been re- ceiving careful consideration for some time past, but Government is not yet in a position to make a state- ment on the matter.
Sir, propose to reply to the observations of Hon. Members which reter particularly to works under the control of the Public Works Department. Causeway Bay North Point Road. Where the Causeway Bay North Point Road has been reduced in width to 75 ft. sufficient land is
The Hon. Mr. W. E. L. Shenton being reserved to allow of widen- ing to 100 ft. if and when the raises two points in connexion with wider road is considered neces-finance. The first is as to the nosi- sary. It is hoped that the retion of the Trade Loan. This is duction in width will save $160.- fully set out on pages 18 and 19 of 000 in the total cost.
the annual financial report for 1931, May Road Widening. I would supplement this, however, The widening of May Road from by stating that the principal out Aigburth Hall to Conduit Road standing on 30th ult. was considered in connexion with $965,229.76. Every endeavour is the draft Estimates, but as it is at being made to call in money out- present impossible to fix the road standing but the difficulties in the past Queen's Gardens this item way of obtaining repayment of in- had to be postponed.
terest and principal are obvious. Harbour Surveying and Dredging. Power of sale is exercised as The survey of the harbour is favourable opportunities occur. proceeding rapidly and about 40% The Hon. Member's second point has now been completed. It is deals with interest on fixed deposits. anticipated that all sounding Of the sum of $1,828,999.92 shewn work will be completed by the end in the 1931 balance sheet as on of 1934. Thereafter further work fixed deposit, $1.369,683.40 will be necessary on current ob-learning 32%; $59,866.52, 3% and servation and co-ordination of $400,000, 2%. I do not consider lata then available.
that this money could have been
was
was
No vital schemes of harbour more properly invested consistent Aredging are at present being with safety,
held up owing to the non-comple-
tion of the Harbour Survey. The
sum in the Estimates is consider-
ed sufficient to carry out the 1933 COLONIAL SECRETARY.
rogramme.
The progress on the Harbour Survey has been very satisfactory and much more rapid than was originally anticipated.
Heavy Road Roller. While I have no doubt that the manufacture of a heavy Road
Roller is well within the compass of local works it cannot reason- shly be expected that they could ompete in design with Companies in England which have specialized Fin Roller manufacture and have many years of experience behind them.
Maintenance Contracts.
The letting of certain mainten ance contracts in the early Au- tumn instead of in January, as is the existing practice, has advan- *ages and is being favourably eonsidered in connexion with the Contracts for 1998.
Disadvantages of Contract- ing Out Large Public Works
TRIBUTE TO THE P.W.D.
The Hon. Colonial Secretary sald:
Sir, It is very gratifying to note that the views of the Unofficial members are so closely in accord (except that there seems to be a certain tendency to press the Gov- ernment to further expenditure) with the proposals of the Govern- ment as set out in the Estimates; the more so that to-day's debate shows that the details have been carefully studied and that openings for criticism can hardly have been missed. It remains to do little Government Civil Hospital.
[more than to add the further ex- Plans for the new Government
planations asked for, and the Civil Hospital at Pokfulum Road Colonial Treasurer and Director of are now well in hand and it is Public Works and the Harbour proposed to lay them before the Master have now dealt with the Public Works Committee before points of a more specialised nature. the end of this month, when the There are others of a general Hon. D.M.S.S. will be invited to character to which answers are re- be present.
plete.
Froadcasting Station Hung Hom.quired if the picture is to be com- As all the plant for the new I will begin with some questions Broadcasting Station with the exception of the masts, which are on administrative matters that have In the first place I l on indent, is already in the been asked. Colony, it is hoped that this venture to think that the Senior Un- station at Hung Hom will be com- official must have misunderstood the proposals dealing with Cadets and pleted by June.
Senior Clerical and Accounting
The broadcasting of English and Staff. In effect there is no expan- Chinese programmes concurrently | 18 engaging the attention of sion of the Cadet Service, but we Government, and it is hoped that have to be ready with trained experiments in this direction may officers against probable retirement in the near future. The age of re- be carried out next year.
(Continued on Page 17.)
Nothing, however, can be done until the new Hung Hom Broad-
casting Station is completed.
Ho Mun Tin Sewerage.
approaching dry season and ask- The position regarding the ing for the date of the arrival of sewerage of Ho Mun Tin has not Messrs. Sir Alexander Binnie Son materially altered since questions and Deacon's engineer. regarding this matter were an- I have just been informed that swered in this Council on 5th a reply telegram has been received Sep'ember, 1929. The matter is and that His Excellency will com- further complicated by the sug- municate the contents to Council gestion now under consideration this afternoon. to reclaim the Harbour of Refuge at Mong Kok Tsui.
Lai Chi Kok Road Widening. The question of the widening of the roadway at the new Warders! Quarters Laichikok is under con-: sideration and it is honed that an mprovement can be effected at an early date.
Kowloon Tsai. Regarding the disposal of land at Kowloon Tsai, when this area is formed it is proposed to offer the land in nlots to suit the con- venience of both large and small purchasers.
The position with regard to the Shing Mun Valley Gorge Dam is as follows:
The world-wide known firm of
Consulting Engineers, Messrs. Sir Alexander Binnie Son and Deacon, State to visit Hongkong and report were engaged by the Secretary of
on the proposed Shing Mun exten- sions. Two of the partners of this firm, Mr. Binnie and Mr. Gourley, visited the Colony and examined the scheme and Incal "onditions affecting construction. The Crown Agents for the Colonies advised that the works were too large to be undertaken by the present staff of the Public Works Department and Messrs. Aleven- der Binnie Son and Deacon have since undertaken to carry out the cheme on agreed terms. They will be entirely responsible for carry- Tvnhoon Signal Station.
ing out the whole work, both Suitable sites for a new Typhoon design and construction, for Signal Station to be visible from fixed fee, which the Government the Northern portion of the considers reasonable; the Colony peninsula are being investigated to pay all costs including staff, and in due course proposals will the engagement of which is limit be submitted. It is hoped that led by agreed conditions. the Kowloon Residents' Associa- tion may assist in this matter.
Fhing Mun Gorge Dam.
Saikung Road. The construction of the first section of the Saikung Road was considered in the draft Estimates but this work, like many others, had to give way to more pressing needs.
The final agreement with the Consulting Engineers, containing
Government is fully alive to the the full conditions, is awaited
necessity for expedition in all
from England.
Government is fully satisfied, matters appertaining to the new after the most careful considera- Shing Mun 2nd Section works. and is doing all in its power to tion, that the arrangements made push matters forward.
are in the best interests of the
On September 27 a telegram Colony, both in the matter of the was despatched to the Secretary costs of the works and their early
these of State for the Colonies request-completion, and
arrange-
ing an assurance that the work ments have met with the approval
was being expedited in view of the of the Secretary of State.
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