HONG KONG PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Summary of Progress for July, August, September 1950.
ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE
New Residence for Hon. Colonial Secretary-The site pre- paration contract was satisfactorily completed early in July. The contract for the main building was signed with Hsin Chong & Company on 25th August. Gond progress is being made, brickwork being completed up to first floor level and reinforcement for first floor slab is being fixed. The Roads Office contract for the approach road has been completed and the motor road surfaced with tarmacadam.
Albany Road Flats-Approval of the sketch plans was received on 13th September. and working drawings are now in course of preparation.
Workers' Flats-At the request of the Chairman of the Housing Committee, a scheme was prepared for the erection of 70 flats, consisting of living room, kitchen, W.C. and verandah, for consideration by this Committee.
Proposed New Secretariat & Government Offices—Instruc- tions have been received to continue the preparation of sketch plans on the assumption that air conditioning will be provided in the portions of the building other than public spaces. Replies to the abbreviated questionnaires issued to Heads of Departments to be accommodated were received on 20th September. This has enabled progress to be made on more detailed planning. A plan for proposed standard office units has been prepared for approval.
Offices & Quarters for Revenue Department-Plans, report and estimate were submitted to Hon. D.P.W. during September. Extension to Government Store for Medical Department... A scheme has been prepared for extending the new Furniture Werkshop and making provision for additional furniture storage space on the ground floor with dispensary, laboratory and offices for the Government Pharmacist on the first floor. Report and estimate were submitted in September and received the Finance Committee's approval.
Police Stations-Progress work on the Kowloon City Police Station continues to be satisfactory: the estimate for security fencing has been approved.
Sha Tin, Sai Kung and Castle Peak Pulice Stations in the New Territories were completed and occupied by the Police during the week ending 30th September. Progress remains satisfactory on the Tsun Wan Police Station. The sketch plan for Sha Tau Kok Police Station, submitted on 19th June, has not been approved because the Police Department now wish the new Station to be erected on or near the site of the prewar Station; surveying of this new site has been completed and revised sketch plans are in progress.
Work on the foundations of the Asiatic Pulice Quarters, Hollywood Road. has now been completed and part of the building is up to third floor level. Work is now progressing satisfactorily and the contractor is making every effort to catch up on the time lost due to the difficulties with foundations. Sketch plans, report and estimate for the Asiatic Police Quarters in Kowloon were submitted on 26th August.
Schools-Both the King's College Primary School and the Vernacular Primary School were handed over to the Educa- tion Department during the month of September.
The Queen's College, Causeway Bay, was handed over to the Education Department on 11th September when it was completed, except for the finishings to the Assembly Hall which have been held up pending the arrival of suspended ceiling boards from England. These have now arrived and are being fixed.
Miscellaneous—A revised scheme has been prepared for the site for the New Kowloon Fire Station at the junction of Argyle Street and Waterloo Road. Drawings and estimates were submitted early in September but, at a meeting at Government House on 18th September, it was decided that the Argyle Street-Waterloo Road site was not suitable. The Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade is now considering an alter- native site. Plans, report and estimate for the Tsun Wan Fire Stations were submitted during September to Hon. D.P.W.
Working drawings for the Radio-Sonde Station, King's Park, are completed, and specification and contract documents are in course of preparation. Work on the approach road has teen commenced by the Roads Office. Sketch plans have been prepared for the Radio & Weather Station, Waglan, but further progress is being held up pending the approval by the Naval Authorities of the accommodation for Naval Ratings incorporated in the design.
The Marine Licensing Station at Yaumati was completed on 29th September, whilst it is anticipated that the one in Aberdeen will be completed on 5th October, 1950.
Contract for the Kowloon T.B. Clinic was signed in July, and progress is satisfactory and work up to and including the roof has been completed. Revised sketch plans for Proposed New Wards for the Kowloon Hospital, together with report and estimate for a two-storey permanent building with pro- vision for future extension were submitted to Hon. D.P.W. on 29th September. Sketch plans and estimates were also forwarded to Hon. D.P.W. for a Telecurie Therapy Clinic, Queen Mary Hospital. These plans were submitted on 25th August, but further work on this project has been suspended at the request of the Medicul Authorities who are awaiting additional information from London concerning the installation of the apparatus used in the Clinic which may affect the planning and construction of the building. Working drawings for the Health Offices at To Kwa Wan and Aberdeen have been completed.
Working drawings for the Kowloon City Market have now been completed and the preparation of specification and contract documents is in progress, whilst sketch plans for the Hung Hom Market are in course of preparation.
BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE
Tabulated Summary of Activities
Total July Aug. Sept.
834 305
236
263
1.228
1,096 385
490 389
358
349
353
1.445
539
178
428
No. of Plans Received
No. of Houses & Other Buildings
covered by Plans received
No. of Plans Approved
No. of Houses & Other Buildings
covered by plans approved
135 Domestic Permits were issued for 67 European type houses: 179 Chinese type houses; 9 staff quarters; 1 hotel; 1 boarding house; 2 upper floors of six houses; 1 three-block of Nissen Huts; and 2 additional storeys.
61 Non-domestic Permits were issued for 9 factories; 4 sub-stations; 3 godowns; 3 workshops; 7 shops: 1 temporary amusement park; 1 restaurant; 3 garages; 3 kitchens; 1 church; 1 transformer house; 1 additional storey and basement of 4 houses at Kennedy Road; and a number of temporary sheds and stores.
77 Dangerous buildings notices were served affecting 108 houses; 55 notices affecting 61 houses were served under Sections 104 and 126 of the Buildings Ordinance, 1935; 244 notices affecting illegal structures, 208 Inspections and reports were made in regard to structural stability of premises to be licensed by other Departments; whilst 197 tests and inspections of drainage system to various districts were carried out.
CROWN LANDS & SURVEY OFFICE
During this quarter. 49 applications for purchase of Crown Land, including extensions to existing lots, exchanges, grants, etc., were received. 6 Lots were sold by Public Auction realis- ing a sum of $479,600; while 13 lots were sold by Private Treaty realising a sum of $1.141,295.00. Extension of time for completion of Building Convenants was granted to 46 lots, fines being imposed in each case; new Crown Leases were granted in respect of 2 lots. 4 Lots were granted in exchange, while extensions were granted to 5 lots, and 2 free grants made. 368 permits were issued for temporary leasing of Crown Land, the total annual fees amounting to $129,938.00.
Routine survey work, and the reconstruction of records and permanent survey marks were continued.
DRAINAGE OFFICE
General maintenance work, including clearing of choked sewers, repair works to nullahs, sewers, culverts and anti- malarial works, was carried out satisfactorily. New annual maintenance contracts were commenced on 1st September, 1950.
No damage of note was sustained through typhoons and rainstorms during this quarter, though flooding took place in a number of areas and preventive steps are now being taken. Removal of deposits in nullahs continued.
In connection with works contingent on land sales, foul and stormwater sewers were extended a total of 2,923 feet to serve land now being developed.
Numerous minor works necessitated by road improvements, new Government buildings, etc., were carried out. Drainage systems for housing schemes at Boundary Street, San Hui, Shek Wu Hui and Shek O were investigated. Surveys for works to abolish the no W.C. area at Yaumati and for a number of other works continued.
Works executed on private account included 207 foul and stormwater sewer connections, and extensions of sewers totalling 1,316 feet were laid.
ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL OFFICE
In the Electrical Section, 951 jobs were completed and 27 installation tests were made: 119 electrical installations were in hand; 1625 faults were repaired; and 162 estimates were prepared.
The construction of the 15 all-metal utility vehicles has been completed by the Mechanical Section; 9 of these have been allocated to outside departments to replace unserviceable ex Army vehicles, and the remaining 6 will operate in the Pool. One new Land Rover was received for the Department of Civil Aviation from Messrs. Reiss, Bradley & Co., Ltd.
A total of 5,500 jobs were completed by the Workshops during the quarter. A new vehicle servicing ramp at Caroline Hill Workshops was completed and put into service; the exist- ing ramp has been dismantled to make room for the new Lubrication Bay which is under construction. A new Blacksmith's Shop, adjoining No. 1 Workshop at Caroline Hill, has been completed by the Architectural Office.
PORT WORKS OFFICE
Repair work on the various piers and sea-walls was satisfactorily completed during this quarter.
At the Murray Pier, work of cutting holes through the sea-wall for laying waterpipes to Electra House was carried out for Cable & Wireless Ltd. Guniting repairs to the sub- structure at Wilmer Street Pier, together with alterations and erection of new booking offices etc. were completed on 30th
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