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RECLAMATIONS.
15. At Tsat Tze Mui, a further four acres were reclaimed, A reclamation making a total of approximately fourteen acres. of about ten acres was commenced at Kennedy Town. Work on the reclamation at Cheung Sha Wan was stopped. An area of about eight acres has been filled in at Ma Tau Kok.
ELECTRICAL WORKS.
16. Works completed were:-Underground cables were laid between G.P.O.-Happy Valley and G.P.O.-Peak W/T. Station. Improved traffic control lights were installed at certain points. Twenty police recall signals were installed in various police stations. Kowloon-Canton Railway: Taipo, Taipo-Market and Fanling Stations were wired for electric lights; also the Railway workshop at Hung Hom, and an underground cable for power and light was installed. Thirty telephones were installed in various places. Repairs to the submarine cable to Stone cutters were carried out. Certain improvements and re-arrange- ments were carried out at Tsat Tse Mui Quarry. Certain electrical works, thirteen telephones, etc., were installed for Shing Mun Valley Scheme. Fifty-six buildings in various places were either rewired or had electric points installed for the first time. Two self supporting wireless masts were erected on the Hung Hom Reclamation and the Broadcasting Set was transferred to a new building on the same Reclamation. An air-conditioning plant was installed at the Broadcasting Studio in Gloucester Building. A Sullivan Heterodyne Wavemeter was obtained for the Radio Test Room.
17. In addition to minor works the usual maintenance of Wireless Stations, telephones, lights, fans, bells, lifts, ferry The installations pier hoists, traffic lights, etc., was carried out. were all maintained in good order.
BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE.
18. The building industry continued to evince considerable activity throughout 1933 but failed to reach the level of the previous year (see Table XI).
19. The total number of plans approved for new works was only slightly less than for the previous year (see Table XII), The number of new buildings covered by such plans shews an appreciable decline; this is particularly noticeable in Chinese tenement property. The falling off in the number of European houses erected does not truly reflect the amount of new accom- modation provided. The type of development tended towards the provision of flats-three, four and in some cases five storeys high. These flats afford the accommodation hitherto provided by the erection of the detached and semi-detached houses which had figured largely in the returns of the preceding three years. 20. Buildings of a non-domestic or commercial character shew an increase over the returns of the preceding year.
21. Amongst the more important buildings completed were:-Emporium and Restaurant in Queen's Road Central, Bank building and office in Des Voeux Road Central, School and Quarters for the Salesian Society on Island Road, Chapel at Shaukiwan, Theatre in On Yan Street, Cinema in Boundary Street, two knitting factories, one on Tai Po Road and one at Ma Tau Wai, a leather factory in Pak Tai Street, a factory in Kai Yee Street and Printing Works at Ma Tau Kok, School in Waterloo Road, Building for Aged Women and Sisters' Quarters at Ngau Chi Wan, and the Hong Kong Brewery erected at Shan Tseng Bay.
22. European type flats of moderate rental have been a feature of the past year's construction, although Chinese tenement property is still the largest factor.
23. The number of European houses completed during the year was 259. The number of Chinese houses was 832.
24. A comparative statement of the number and type of buildings in respect of which plans were deposited is given in Table XIII.
25. On the Praya East Reclamation, 147 Chinese houses were erected, making up to date a total of 973. The new Sailors' Home and Seamen's Institute and a large Chinese hotel were both completed during the year. The Royal Naval Canteen is still in course of construction.
26. The number of water flushed sanitary appliances approved during the year amounted to 3622.
27. Fifteen fires occurred causing structural damage which necessitated action by this department. Loss of life was occasioned in two instances where the buildings were of the old type of construction with wooden floors and staircases. It is pertinent to note that in no case where fires have occurred in the modern tenement houses constructed of reinforced concrete floors, roofs, and staircases, have casualties occurred nor has the fire even attained serious proportions nor extended beyond the floor upon which it originated.
28. A collapse of a balcony occurred involving the death of two persons. Investigation shewed that the work had not been carried out in accordance with the approved plan. Further investigation revealed similar defects in the other balconies of the building. The balconies were condemned and demolished.
29. Minor landslides occurred at works in progress but were not of serious import nor attended by casualties.
30. Reclamations were in progress on the following lots in Hong Kong:-T.L. 2918, T.L. 3538, I.L. 3539, I.L. 3540. A total area of about 207,000 square feet is embraced in the above works. Reclamation works at Kowloon included K.M.L. 52 and K.M.L. 102. The total area involved is about 200,000 square
feet.
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