Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 198

195

No.-8

No. 218.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR 1895.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE, HONGKONG, 7th April, 1896.

SIR, I have the honour to forward you the following report of the work of this department during the past year.

ANNUALLY RECURRENT WORKS.

2. Repairs to Government Buildings.-The following new buildings have been added to the list of Government buildings during the year, viz.:-

The Slaughter Houses, Sheep and Pig Depôts at Kennedy Town, and

The Central Market.

3. The following buildings have been removed :-

The Temporary Markets, Praya Central and Wing Lok Street.

The Slaughter House, West Point.

Number 8 Police Station, Taipingshan, and the Taipingshan Market.

4. Five houses in New Street, partly occupied by the Pó Léung Kuk, have been sold.

5. The total number of buildings of all descriptions in charge of this department is 125,

6. The ravages of white ants have necessitated considerable expenditure on some of the Govern- ment buildings, especially at Queen's College, Government Civil Hospital, the Lunatic Asylum, and Tsim-Sha-Tsui Police Station.

I also regret to have to report that exceptional repairs were necessitated at the Queen's College owing to the decay of some of the principal timbers in the roof over the large Hall.

7. With the exception of the drainage of Hung Hom and Yaumati Police Stations, Sai-ying- poon and Yaumati Markets, the laying of a new floor in the Post Office, and the substitution of canvas for plaster ceilings in Queen's College, the expenditure under this heading of account has been mainly on miscellaneous repairs.

8. As regards the New Government Offices, the project has during the year assumed a more definite form, and it has been decided to reserve the sites on the New Reclamation in front of the City Hall for the erection of Supreme Court House, Law Offices, Land Office, and Offices for the Treasury, Public Works Department, and Registrar General's Department.

9. Maintenance of Telegraphs and Tilephones.-The telegraph and telephone lines have been maintained in an efficient state of repair during the year. Iron poles have been substituted for wooden ones on the Stanley and Aberdeen lines. The project submitted in my report dated 3rd August, 1892, C.S.O., has now been completed, and it is anticipated that a reduction in the annual cost of maintenance will for some time to come be effected.

10. The joint arrangement with the Eastern Extension and Great Northern Telegraph Companies, C.S.O. 1, whereby the Government telegraph and telephone lines going eastward are carried as far as North Point on the Companies' poles, has also been completed.

11. Public Cemetery.-The Public Cemetery has been maintained without involving any excep- tional expenditure. A further area to the north has been terraced and the repairs to the Chapel have been completed.

12. Maintenance of Praya Walls and Piers.--No work calling for any special mention has been carried out during the year under this heading.

13. Maintenance of Lighthouses. With the exception of the Gap Rock Lighthouse, no exceptional repairs or alterations have been made.

14. At the Gap Rock Lighthouse, iron shutters and strong wooden doors have been fitted to the exposed window and door openings in the Light-Keepers' Quarters, Tower and Water Tank.

Guns have been mounted to replace the fog signalling apparatus, and preparations are being made for the construction of a new Magazine.

On the 3rd January, 1895, Mr. MATTHEWS of Messrs. CooDE SON & MATTHEWS visited the Gap Rock, and on the 10th of January reported to the Government.

This report was laid before Council, Sessional Paper No. 1 of 1895, and paragraph 34 contains the following opinion "that the north end of the Rock is the proper site for the Tower and that as long as the Lighthouse and buildings remain in their present position, they will prove a source of anxiety and expense.'

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