CO129-589-11 Port of Hong Kong- Report on future control and development 18-7-1941 - 10-10-1944 — Page 129

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ocean-going vessels have been maintained in a satisfactory condition there are several of those used by local shipping that are in a bad state. These bad piers are mostly situated on the water front in Victoria between Murray Road and Queen Street.

(88) Mr. Nicol has prepared a plan showing a scheme for the widening of Connaught Road between the two points mentioned, and the construction of about 17 new piers, some intended for the shipping trade and ferry boats and others for official purposes. Apart from the necessity for new piers to replace the more or less derelict ones, Connaught Road has become very congested with traffic and should be widened sooner or later.

Without

destruction of property, this widening can only be accomplished on the water side, that is, by reclamation of land from the water. The scheme has the advantage that it effects this widening by a narrow reclamation, in addition to providing for the building of new and improved piers. It includes also a more extensive

reclamation between Murray Road and Queen Victoria Street. The roughly estimated cost of that portion of the scheme between Queen Street and Queen Victoria Street is $7,500,000 and of the remainder $2,700,000, making a total of $10,200,000. This is a bold scheme but an eminently desirable one and one that I

recommend for carrying out as soon as practicable. In this I have the advantage of Mr. Kennedy's engineering advice. I may add that the premium on the sale of the land reclaimed between Queen Victoria Street and Murray Road is likely to be more than the cost of the whole scheme.

The

(89) If the proposed Harbour Trust is to be created, this scheme would of course go before them for their approval. Trustees from their own local knowledge would be quite able to

subject it to proper criticism.

I can only suggest the policy

The old piers that would be

to be adopted in relation to it. displaced are also shown on the plan. The leases for those piers

expire with the others in the Port in 1949. The lessees would be

informed of the scheme and their leases renewed on very short