48
Hong Kong Builder
The new Metropolitan Land Company's flats at Causeway Bay.
New Block of European flats on King's Road.
Work in progress on King's Road,
A
SURVEY
OF
NEW
CONSTRUCTIONS
ON THE
ISLAND
Construction work in Hong Kong during 1939 has been rather of a fitful nature, in spite of, or is it because of, the continued hostilities in China. There is no doubt that given the opportunity the year 1939 would have proven to be an ex- ceptionally good year.
The cause which mitigated against such a happy state of affairs was mainly connected with the situation in Europe. The crisis in September 1938, but mainly as it affected rum- ours of Japanese intention in China, had its echo in Hong Kong when most prospective builders decided to postpone their projects and were then slow to renew their plans after the settlement of the crisis be-
cause of the continued uncer- tainty.
News of the invasion of Poland in August which most residents in Hong Kong rightly interpreted as the beginning of war for Europe practically brought all new projects then in the planning to a standstill. With the outbreak of war in September the immediate stoppage of building supplies from Europe which immediately increased the cost of materials to unprecedented figures spelt finale to any hopes which optimistic prospective builders might still have retained regarding the possibility of carrying on with their build- ing plans.
In spite of all these adverse conditions, however, a considerable amount of construction work did take place.
The writer in making a tour of the Island at the beginning of December, was agreeably surprised at the amount of work in course of construction or recently completed.
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