CO129-542-14 Hong Kong harbour ferry- expenditure 28-12-1932 - 15-2-1934 — Page 8

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

No. 617.

Ansel (D)

Sir,

8

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

19th December, 1933.

[n]

Encl. No.1.

Encl. No.2.

নি

With reference to your despatch No.59 of

8th February, 1933, on the subject of the Vehicular

Ferry, I have the honour to forward a copy of two

Resolutions which were passed by the Legislative Council

on the 14th December, 1933, authorising expenditure on

this account during the current year of a further sum

of $139,000, and of a like sum during the financial

year 1934.

2.

It will be observed that it has been found

necessary to raise the Estimate to $1,864,000 for

reasons which are set out in the speech of the Colonial

Secretary proposing the Resolutions, a copy of which is

enclosed from the Hansard Report.

The revised estimate includes a sum of $124,000

in respect of certain improvements recommended by the

Superintending Civil Engineer of His Majesty's Naval

Yard, Hong Kong.

3.

I should be glad to receive your covering

authority for this expenditure and your approval of the

revised estimate for the whole work.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

Governor, &c.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

SIR P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER, G.B.E., M.C., M.P.,

&c.,

&C.,

&c.

Enclosure No.1.

The Colonial Secretary to move-

That this Council approves of the further expenditure of $139,000 on the Vehicular Ferry during the financial year 1933, which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall meanwhile be charged as an advance from the Surplus Balances of the Colony.

The Colonial Secretary to move—

That this Council approves of the expenditure of $139,000 on the Vehicular Ferry during the financial year 1934, which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall meanwhile be charged as an advance from the Surplus Balances of the Colony.

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Enclosure No.2.

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THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.—I rise to move the next two resolutions standing in my name and with the permission of Council I should like to take them together.

The first refers to the additional funds required for the expenditure of the Vehicular Ferry Piers during the current year and the second to the additional expenditure on the same service in 1934.

It will be recalled that in 1932 additional works costing $179,000 were authorised by a Resolution of the Council bringing the revised estimated total cost to $1,679,000. Actually these additional works cost $185,200, that is $6,200 more than the amount then asked for. When the Piers came into use it was considered necessary to provide various offices and fittings-rickshaw shelters, latrines, clocks, book-stalls, money-changers shops, telephone booths, etc., the cost of which amounts to $16,800.

It was also been found necessary, as the result of experience in working, to make changes in the winding gear for ramps and to strengthen the fendering of the piers at a cost of $26,000. Repairs to the piers caused by damage in the early stages of the service before the Coxswains became proficient in the handling of the new vessels cost a further $12,000.

As Honourable Members are aware, doubts have been expressed as to the suitability of the piers for the work for which they are intended and in consequence the Government with the concurrence of the Naval Authorities invited Mr. A: G. St. John Kneller, Superintending Civil Engineer of H.M."Naval Yard, Hongkong, to report on the piers. Mr. Kneller has furnished the Government with a valuable report which, while it offers no serious criticisms of the general principles of the structures, recommends certain improvements with a view to increasing the ability of the piers to resist the shocks which are inevitable in the working of a rapid ferry system in waters liable to periods of rough weather. The improvements recommended are:-

(a) The provision of a "round head" at the end of the West

Arm,

(b) The completion of the strenthening of the fendering

now in progress.

(c) The provision of additional timber fendering,

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