HONG KONG PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE
Summary of Progress for June & July, 1949.
Leighton Hill Flats-Repairs to plaster work were com- pleted, but slight damage to wood block floors still requires attention.
Peak Pavilion Flats-Shrubs and trees were planted by the Gardens Department. Several repairs to plumbing and to the roof were carried out in June. The final inspection of the flats at the end of the maintenance period in July was carried out and a report on defects is in course of preparation.
Queen's Garden Flats-Work on the lift is still in pro- gress, one lift was put into service and the second is expected to be completed by the middle of August. Gardens Depart- ment have completed the turfing and planting of trees and shrubs.
King's Park Flats-Work is progressing favourably. Concrete work, metal windows, plaster work and drainage work are ahead of schedule, joinery work, however, is behind schedule. Plumbing work has commenced and is progressing very well. Installation of the lifts commenced during July and the machinery is now in two machine rooms.
Mount Nicholson Bungalows-Contract was completed on 14th June. Gardens are 95% completed, approach road 50%. and road on site 35%. Baggage store and grilles to windows completed.
Garden Apartments in Kowloon Tong-No approval of the sketch scheme has yet been received.
Rehabilitation of Severn Road Houses—A revised scheme for the rehabilitation and conversion of these 3 houses into 6 semi-detached houses was prepared and forwarded for approval.
North Point Camp-Work was completed on 12th June and handed over to the Social Welfare Office on the 20th.
Government Offices and Workshops-Reinforced concrete frame to Furniture Workshop Extension was completed, brick panels constructed and metal windows built in. Work is pro- ceeding on the Offices for Health Authorities at Shamshuipo, roof and flooring work having been completed. Although sketch plans, estimates of cost and report were submitted to the Hon. D.P.W. on 11th February, no further instructions have so far been received in connection with the P.W.D. Workshop and Garages. It has been decided that Temporary Offices for Fisheries, Civil Aviation, Development Library and District Office New Territories should not be proceeded with at the present. Offices for Government Statistician at the Telephone Exchange Building was completed, whilst offices for the Education Department has just started. Preliminary sketch plan and report for additional Storey to Secretariat Building was not approved, an alternative construction is to be considered.
Police Stations-Tenders were received and report sub- mitted to the Chairman of the Tender Board for the Bay View Police Station, contract should be let early in August. The specification for the Hunghom Police Station was completed, and the first notice calling for tenders appeared in the Gazette on 29th July,
Working drawings and details for Kowloon City Police Station, and Police Block Houses, New Territories, are proceeding.
Contract was signed on 14th June for Shaukiwan Police Station; work is proceeding rather slowly due to amount of rock encountered in the excavation.
The original scheme for Police Headquarters Camp in New Territories is almost completed except for fences and paths, while the additional work on administration block, station coolie quarters, servants quarters, dog kennels, genera- tor house and perimeter fence is almost 50% completed.
Work on Sheungshui Police Station was completed in July. Owing to shortage of Staff in the Architectural Office, it has been decided to place the work for Prison Camp at Ping Shan in the hands of private architects.
Schools It was intended to commence working drawings for Gap Road School but it was found that the investigation of certain legal points concerning rights of light and the adjoining owners boundary walls required clarification before the preparation of drawings could proceed; the necessary enquiries are now proceeding.
Messrs, Leigh & Orange have been approached by Govern- ment with a view to carrying out the architectural work for the Vernacular Middle School; and Messrs. Palmer & Turner have been commissioned to proceed with working drawings and contract for the Kowloon Junior School.
Contract was signed with Tak Hing & Co. on 15th June for the Workers School, Hennessy Road; work is up to schedule in spite of some time lost through wet weather and progress
of work is very satisfactory. Working drawings and estimate for conversion of adjoining Salvation Army Hall into School Assembly Hall has been started. Tenders had also been received for Workers School, Hunghom.
A plan for a temporary school for 940 boys to be erected by mid September has been prepared and submitted to the La Salle College authorities for approval. Orders for material for reinforced concrete foundations slabs have been placed, and site levelling is now in progress.
Miscellaneous-A decision to proceed with the Repulse Bay Development is awaited. Work started on sketch plans for the Kennedy Town Abattoir on a new site on the water- front. Work on Registration Scheme Laboratory is 75% com- pleted. Scheme for H.K. Defence Force New Training Huts has been approved but no work started.
BUILDING AUTHORITY'S OFFICE
Tabulated Summary of Activities—June & July, 1949.
Total June
July
No. of Plans Received
557
270
287
No. of Houses and Other Buildings
covered by plans received No. of Plans approved
755
343
412
912
430
482
1581
725
856
+
No. of Houses and Other Buildings
covered by plans approved
108 Occupation permits were issued for completed build- ings which included 155 European type houses, 98 Chinese tenements, a block of apartment flats on Hysan Avenue 2 staff quarters and upper floors on IL's 3384 to 3389 Water Street and Second Street, and various other premises. In addition, 37 occupation permits were issued for non-domestic buildings, including 7 factories, 1 school, 1 office building, 1 theatre, 2 transit sheds, 1 sub-station and an assortment of other buildings.
Other activities of the B.0.0. included the serving of 41 dangerous buildings notices affecting 65 houses; 52 notices under Sections 104 and 126 of the Buildings Ordinance, 81 notices affecting illegal structures with 14 prosecutions, and 48 inspections and reports concerning structural stability of premises to be licensed by other Government departments, There were 6 emergency shorings, 7 collapses without casualties, 1 fire and 3 landslides which had to be seen to by this department. 168 tests and inspection of drainage systems in various districts were also carried out.
DRAINAGE OFFICE
Works executed on private account: 41 orders were issued under this head, 68 sewer and/or stormwater connections being made to the Government system. In addition, 537 feet of Government sewers were extended and the cost charged to private accounts.
As a result of land sales, Government sewers and S.W.D.'s were extended by 1803 feet.
The first section of the S.W.D. at Fo Pang Valley was completed. The second section consisting of connecting links at upper and lower ends will be started after the rainy season.
CROWN LANDS & SURVEY OFFICE
During June and July, 54 applications for purchase of Crown Land were received, 3 lots amounting to $370,200.00 sold by public auction and 20 lots realising $410,489.00 sold by private treaty. Extension of time for completion of Building Covenants were granted on 18 lots, fines being imposed in each case. 118 permits were issued for temporary leasing of Crown Land, the total annual fee amounting to $101,471.00. Routine survey work, the setting out of sites for sale and town planning and the reconstruction of records and permanent survey marks continued,
ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL OFFICE
94 Electrical installations were completed in which over 39,000 yards of wire were used. 91 installations were still in hand at the end of July. 102 Estimates were prepared and 613 faults attended to.
In the Vehicle Workshops a total of 3577 jobs on Govern- ment vehicles were completed during the two months.
CROWN LANDS & SURVEYS OFFICE
Land Sales-July & August 1949.
DATE
LOT No.
LOCATION
(Sq. Ft.) AREA
UPSET PRICE
SALES PRICE
11:7 49 18 7 49 8. 8 49 8/8 49
15 8 48
15 8 49
22 8 49
I.L. 6454 R.B.L. 597 N.K.I.L. 3568 K.I.L. 6058 N.K.I.L. 3569 N.K.I.L. 3570 1.L. 6457
Tai Hang Road
King's Road
15,000
$225,000.00
$225,000.00
Island Road near Deepwater Bay
24,000
72,000.00
No bid.
Shun Ning Road
4,320
12,960.00
38,500.00
Beech St., Tai Kok Tsui
1,260
7,560,00
10,400.00
Shun Ning Road
6,000
30,000.00
41,000.00
Shun Ning Road
5,000
25,000.00
36,000.00
13,500
40,500.00
55,100.00
55
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