CO129-552-1 Supplementary expenditure 24-12-1934 - 18-1-1936 — Page 116

Ansol (15)

No. 129.

Sir,

53533

Seen by Dept 10/4

13 Jan

12

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG,

4th March, 1935.

I have the honour to address you on the subject

of the construction of the new Magistracy Building in Kowloon,

provision for which is made under Head 34 Sub-Head 37 of the

Estimates for 1935.

2.

The sum provided for this work in 1935 is

$100,000.00, the estimate of the total cost being $250,000.00.

A sum of $120,000.00 was approved in 1934 but the work was not

begun until late in the year and $26,600.00 only was spent on

site preparation. Tenders for the construction of the building

were received in January of this year and the revised estimte,

based upon the lowest tender received, and inclusive of the

cost of site preparation, is $243,000.00.

3.

The existing Magistracy is entirely inadequate

to meet the growing needs of Kowloon. The number of cases

heard annually amounts already to some 20,000, and it has

recently proved necessary to erect a temporary wooden building

to provide a Court for a second Magistrate. In the circum-

stances I considered that the construction of the new building

could not reasonably be postponed, and with the unanimous

approval of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council

I have authorised acceptance of the tender, and the immediate

commencement of work on the building.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

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

&c.,

&c.,

&c.,