Estimates-1959 — Page 195

196

Architectural Office

The additional posts are required to cope with the ever increasing demand being placed upon the Architectural Office, where it is still found necessary to relieve the pressure by placing some of the work out to private architects.

Buildings Ordinance Office

The building boom and the increased responsibilities placed upon the Buildings Ordin- ance Office by the new Buildings Ordinance have made it essential for this office to have increased staff. A new grade of Assistant Building Surveyor has been introduced with a view to training local officers for promotion to the professional grade of Building Surveyors.

Crown Lands and Surveys Office

The additional posts are required to cope with the ever increasing demand being made upon this office both by the public and the service. A small "planning staff" has also been included to assist in planning new towns, finished reclamations, and other schemes awaiting development.

Drainage Office

The continued development of the Colony calls for additional sewers and drains in both new and old districts, and it is essential for additional staff to be supplied to the Drainage Office to meet these demands.

Electrical and Mechanical Office

The work of this office continues to increase with increased mechanization. The fleet of motor transport and the air-conditioning of buildings continue to increase and a fully qualified and trained staff is needed to ensure that the organization is maintained in an efficient standard.

Port Works Office

The small additional staff for this office is required for increasing work on reclama- tions and piers, etc.

Roads Office

Continued building development, additional maintenance work on the roads, stricter control of private quarries, increased production in the department's own quarries, and provision of accommodation for local staff of the Office all call for an overall increase in staff.

Waterworks Office

Major developments continue to be made to meet the ever increasing demand for a satisfactory water supply and the pressure on the construction and distribution sections of the Office continue to remain at a high level.

Seconded to New Territories District Administration

This staff is required for additional responsibilities and commitments which the department is being called upon to undertake in the New Territories.

These changes together with normal increments account for the increase of $3,498,380

in the vote for personal emoluments.

Several votes under Other Charges Annually Recurrent have had to be increased to cater for additional staff, the occupation of the West Wing of the Central Government Offices, and the larger programme of works being undertaken.

The main items of Special Expenditure are a Boring Barge Plant ($16,000), Labora- tory Equipment ($19,500) and a Recording Echo Sounder ($17,300) for the Port Works Office; a Continuous Printing and Developing Machine ($16,500) for the Architectural Office; Quarry Plant ($232,000) including a stock piling conveyor for increasing the capacity of the limited storage space at Mount Butler Quarry and to replace the uneconomical use of lorries for stock piling; 4 Road Rollers ($210,000) for the maintenance and construction of numerous new roads; 18 sets Traffic Counters ($16,000) for the traffic census; and Workshop Equipment and Tools ($36,400). The provision of $506,800 for Motor Vehicles consists of a revote of $226,500, $99,200 for replace- ments of old vehicles and $181,100 for new vehicles.

Page 195Page 196