Sessional_Paper_1892 — Page 109

105

No. 9/2

HONGKONG.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT. Report for the Year 1891.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, on the 25th January, 1892.

No. 23.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 13th January, 1892.

SIR, I have the honour to forward you the following report on the works carried out by the Surveyor General's Department during the year 1891.

ANNUALLY RECURRENT EXPENDITURE.

2. Repairs of Buildings. The number of Buildings of all descriptions the maintenance of which has been under the charge of this department was at the beginning of the year 114, a complete list of which will be found in the Blue Book.

3. The whole of these with the exception of Mountain Lodge, Whitfield Police Station, Shau- kiwan School, the Old Central School and Shamshuipo School, have been maintained in a satisfactory state of repair throughout.

4. The following buildings have been painted externally:-The Government Civil Hospital (New Wing), the European Lunatic Asylum, Number 9 Police Station, the Police Stations at Hung Hom and Shaukiwan, and the Sai-ying-poon and Hung Hom Markets.

5. The construction of a small addition to the Magistracy consisting of two rooms providing additional accommodation for the clerical staff has been commenced.

6. The present condition of Mountain Lodge is most unsatisfactory; the buildings were erected some years ago, before residence in the Hill District assumed anything like the proportions it has done of recent years, and are now in a dilapidated condition and practically unfit for occupation.

The cost of repairing the existing buildings would be considerable and the accommodation provided falls far short of that necessary for even ordinary comfort during so lengthened a residence in the Hill District as it has of late years been deemed desirable to make.

The time has undoubtedly arrived, owing to the natural decay of the existing buildings, when some steps should be taken to replace them by a more substantial and convenient structure.

7. Whitfield Police Station has been vacated by the police and is now let for the purposes of an inn.

8. Shaukiwan School not being any longer required and being in a dilapidated condition, it was considered advisable to pull it down.

9. The Old Central School buildings have remained unoccupied, except by a caretaker, but it is not advisable to remove them pending some decision being arrived at as to the future utilisation of the site.

10. The school building at Shamsbuipo has been in a dilapidated state and unoccupied for the greater part of the year and owing to the establishment of a Basil Mission School in this village no further demand at present appears to exist for a Government school building in this locality.

11. Maintenance of Telegraph.-The Government Telegraph lines have been maintained in a fairly satisfactory condition, but more active supervision in respect of the alignment of the poles and the fixing of the wires appears necessary.

At present there are 51 miles of land line and 3.3 miles of sub-marine lines which have been main- tained during the past year. Two-and-one-half (2) miles of land line were constructed during

1891.

12. The Public Cemetry.-The Public Cemetery has been maintained in a satisfactory manner. Towards the latter part of the year it became necessary to make a further extension on the south side.