583222-1940-Minutes--No-11 — Page 4

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, SEPTEMBER 13, 1940. IST

(i) Any commercial motor vehicle;

(ii) Any Army motor vehicle?

Will the Government also state whether in any of such cases, the weight or the load of such motor vehicle or of the load therein were found to be excessive, and, if so, what action was taken in consequence?

The Colonial Secretary replied as follows:--

1. The movement is attributed to the alteration of the composition of the soil on which the retaining wall is founded, due to the percolation of water. The record rainfall recently experienced has undoubtedly reached depths hitherto untouched. A contributing cause is of course vibrations set up by fast moving traffic.

2. () It is not possible to give this figure until exhaustive examination of the soil has been undertaken, since the form of reconstruction cannot be decided until such examination has been completed. (i) The approximate cost of the temporary bridge is estimated at $8,000. 3. ( Between 1st January, 1935, and 30th June, 1940, 4,282 vehicles were weighed at the weighbridges under instructions from Europeau and Native Traffic Officers. In most cases they were found to be overloaded, prosecutions were undertaken and fines amounting to $24,443.95 were imposed. Not all of these vehicles were commercial motor vehicles; a small percentage were tricycles. (77) No Army motor vehicles have been weighed for overloading. Their maximum net load is much below what the Police Department would allow. The Traffic Inspector states that from his observa- tion Army motor vehicles do not overload.

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE,

5. The Colonial Secretary laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee

(No. 6), dated 25th July, 1940, and moved its adoption.

The Financial Secretary seconded.

Question put and agreed to.

MOTIONS.

6. The Colonial Secretary addressed the Council and moved the following

resolution:

Whereas application has been made by the Urban Council to the Governor under section 52 of the Public Health (Sanitation) Ordinance, 1935, for the erection of a Public Flush Latrine on a site at the Triangular Fruit Market, Wing Lok Street :

And whereas such application has been duly approved by the Governor and a notification of the intention to erect a Public Latrine at such site has been duly published in three successive numbers of the Gazette :

And whereas certain occupiers of premises in the vicinity of the said pro-

posed Public Latrine have objected to its erection :

And whereas such objection and the grounds in support thereof have been

duly considered:

It is hereby resolved by this Council that the above mentioned site and the erection thereon of a Public Flush Latrine be and the same are hereby approved.

The Attorney General seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.