Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 298

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On the 21st February, a Contract No. 7 was made with TSANG KENG for the completion of the upper portion of the sea wall above the concrete blocks, construction of storm water drains, filling in and reclaiming the land, forming, channelling and concreting the footpaths, &c.; 2,629 cubic yards of rubble stone have been laid (hand packed) in embankment and backing of sea wall, 37,338 cubic yards of earth filled in and rammed in reclamation, 19,920 cubic feet of granite ashlar set in cement mortar in sea wall and storm water drains, 308 cubic yards of Portland cement concrete backing of sea wall and 382 cubic yards of lime concrete backing of masonry of storm water drains, &c., have been deposited in place; fairly good progress has been made on this contract.

Filling below Datum, 756 cubic yards of earth has been deposited by Hopper Barges.

90. Section No. 2.--The works under contract No. 1 of July 1892, for the construction of the upper portion of the sea wall above the concrete blocks, construction of storm water drains, filling in and reclaiming the land, forming, channelling and concreting the footpaths, &c. The works under this contract were suspended or nearly so for about four months on account of the plague, the work- men having run away as soon as the rubbish from the infected houses in Taipingshan was brought on to the reclaimed land to be burnt, and, during the remaining portion of the year, they were carried on by the contractor in a dilatory and unsatisfactory manner; the work executed being 829 cubic yards rubble stone (hand packed) Lacking of sea wall and embankment, 29,411 cubic yards of earth filled in and rammed, 26,899 cubic feet granite ashlar set in cement mortar, 789 cubic yards of Portland cement and lime concrete, 6,640 superficial feet granite side channels and curbs, 13,650 superficial feet lime concrete on footpath, 29 gullies with outlet pipes, &c., fixed complete.

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91. The storm water drain in Queen's Road and Centre Street, contract No. 2, was after many delays and difficulties completed on the 31st May, about 15 months after the contract time. The work under this contract was taken much below its real value, consequently the work was carried on in a dilatory and unsatisfactory manner, the contractor losing the little money he had, absconded in February, the contract was then transferred to TSANG KENG and finally completed by him on the 2nd June, 1894.

92. Section No. 3.-Very little progress has been made on this section on account of the time required for weighting and consolidating the rubble stone foundations. The weighting of the rubble stone foundations was commenced on the 7th April and continued to the end of the year, during which time 951 lineal feet have been consolidated.

93. The filling and reclaiming the land below Datum is now completed as high as practicable, this work being done departmentally by Hopper Barges and spoil from Dredger, 21,522 cubic yards of earth and mud having been deposited therein during the year.

94. The upper surface of the rubble stone foundations of storm water drains, (C.S.O. 1889), was trimmed, levelled and covered with lime concrete during the low tides of July and August, 113 cubic yards of lime concrete and 662 cubic yards of rubble stone being used for that purpose.

95. Sections Nos. 6 and 7, Fastern and Western portion. A contract No. 39 was entered into with TSANG KENG on the 11th April last, for the construction of the rubble stone foundations of sea wall, (968 lineal feet), landing piers, storm water drains, embankment, &c.; and, on the 29th April, he commenced to drive and fix the guide piles, &c., for marking out the lines of the proposed found- ations, and, for that purpose, 49 piles containing about 5,150 cubic feet of timber had to be driven, and 1,390 cubic feet of timber fixed in walings, braces, &c.; the whole being completed on the 30th June. During the months of June, July and August, comparatively very little work was done on this contract; the requisite number of coolies and junks could not be obtained on account of the plague, consequently only 95,068 cubic yards of rubble stone have been deposited in the foundations, instead of about 130,000 cubic yards, the upper surface of the foundations will, therefore, have to be trimmed and levelled by divers to allow the setting of the first course of concrete blocks being commenced during the first low tides of May 1895.

96. Filling and reclaiming the land below Datum, 61,144 cubic yards of earth has been deposited by Hopper Barges, and 10,556 cubic yards of mud and sand have been deposited by junks from Dredger.

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97. The temporary wharf opposite Ice House Street, contract No. T, was after many delays and difficulties completed aud opened to traffic on the 27th June. The timber required in its construc- tion having been lost in the wreck of the Penshaw on a voyage from Manila to Hongkong on the 21st February, 1893, and a fresh supply had to be ordered by CHAN A TONG, the Contractor.

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98. Section No. 7, Eastern portion, contract No. TT. The completion of the upper portion of Sea Wall and Reclamation on a length of 1,130 feet, the work under this contract was suspended for about nine months, to allow the sewer pipes, gas and water mains being laid, and the ground to settle and consolidate during the heavy rains of summer, the work being resumed in November 1893, and completed on the 18th September, 1894.

The following work was done during the year, viz.:-4,180 cubic yards of earth supplied for filling and levelling the roads, land, &c.; 1,540 lineal feet granite curbs set; 1,070 lineal feet granite side channels, 3 feet wide, and 2,570 lineal feet, 2'. 6" wide, were laid; 208,500 superficial feet lime concrete, 6" deep, laid, watered and rolled on roads; 63,900 superficial feet lime concrete, 4" thick, laid, watered and rolled on footpaths; 27,500 superficial feet lime concrete laid under curbs and channels; and 3,750 superficial feet granite paving taken up, re-squared, and re-laid in cement mortar.