TNAG-0760-FCO40-964-Annual-accounts-of-the-Hong-Kong-Government-for-1977-1978 — Page 18

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Paragraphs 60-61: Head 64 - Public Works Department: Lands and

42.

Survey

Authority will be sought before the end of 1977-78 for the

creation of the additional posts required by the Principal Government

Land Agent to enable measurement of work to be undertaken adequately.

43. In paragraph 61, the Director of Audit has commented on the

course of events following the collapse of a retaining wall which led

to the waiver of claims amounting to over $366,000. The initial

difficulty was that the retaining wall lay partly on Crown land and

partly on the lots concerned and thus, despite the condition of the

leases providing for the owners to be required to repair the wall

themselves, it was not clear whether the Government had the right

to require the owners to assume full responsibility for the recon-

struction of the wall. In the event, it was decided that the Government

should undertake the work and that the owners should be notified that

the Government reserved the right to recover an appropriate proportion

of the cost. The delay in issuing demand notes was partly attributable

to the difficulty in tracing the original owners following the unavoidable

delay in completing the contract. Nonetheless, even though this was a

complicated case, it is clear that the chances of recovery would have

been very much greater if action had been taken more quickly and this

has been drawn to the attention of the departments concerned.

Paragraphs 64-65: Head 66 - Public Works Department: Water

44.

Supplies, Subhead 999 010 Chargeable water

Proposals for adjusting the levels of water deposits have now

been received from the Director of Water Supplies and are being

considered in the Government Secretariat.

/45. The

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