Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 582

578

47. Other contracts are in course of preparation.

48. Storm Water Drain, Wing Fung Street.-A contract No. T was entered into with Messrs. Wong Far and HIP HING CHEONG, confidential C.S.O. 137, for the works included in this projer in January, and fair progress has been made, though some delay arose in obtaining the nccess: bricks.

49. Salisbury Road, Kowloon.—This work continues to progress very slowly.

50. Plague Account. —The expenditure under this heading of account has been mainly ine in connection with the extension of the cemetery, the interment of the remains of those dying. the disease, and the erection of matshed accommodation.

PRAYA RECLAMATION WORKS.

51. Section No. 1.-Contract No. 18. The work under this contract was suspended on the 18th April, 1896, pending the construction of the sewers, the laying of the gas and water mains, and the crection of the new buildings authorized by C.S.0.49

52. Section No. 2.---No further work has been done on this section. The work under contract No. 13 being still suspended, pending the completion of the new buildings on the Reclaimed Land authorized by C.S.O. 144.

53. Section No. 3.-The whole of the foundations of the sea wall have been weighted and the second course of concrete blocks set except on a length of 180 feet at the eastern end and the founda- tions of the landing pier, on which the concrete blocks have not yet been set, on account of the continued settlement of the rubble stone foundations. Under contract No. 23, the sea wall has been brought up to an averaged height of 4'.3′′ above the concrete blocks except on a length of 180 feet at the eastern end. Some progress has been made with the construction of the storm water drains, but comparatively little progress has been made with the filling in of the land to be reclaimed. The progress made with the work under this contract has so far been very dilatory and unsatisfactory.

54. Section No. 4.-The work done on this section under contract No. 25 has been the complet- ing of the rubble stone foundations of the proposed sea wall. The time for the completion of this contract expired on the 31st January, 1896; the work was, however, being carried on in so dilatory a manner that it had on the 29th May to be taken out of the contractor's hands and other arrange- ments made.

On the 21st May last a contract No. 37 was entered into with YAU KUNG CHEUNG for raising, levelling, forming and concreting the upper surface of the rubble stone foundations of the proposed sea wall, and for supplying rubble stone, &c. for the completion of the work included in contract No.

25.

The work under this contract (No. 37) has been carried on with despatch in a satisfactory and workmanlike manner. The whole of the upper surface of the rubble stone foundations on a length of 900 feet has been raised, formed, levelled, concreted, the "concrete blocks" backed with rubble stone, and about one half of the rubble stone required for the completion of the work under contract No. 25 has been supplied.

The whole of the first course of concrete blocks on a length of 900 feet and containing 32,400 · cubic feet has been set departmentally and backed with rubble stone hand packed under contract No. 37.

The whole of these foundations are now ready for weighting, but this cannot be commenced until the weighting of (four) Government piers and a portion, about 400 lincal feet of the foundation of the proposed sea wall, sections Nos. 6 and 7, are completed.

55. Diverting Storm Water Drain.-A contract No. 34 was entered into with TSANG KENG on the 9th November, 1895, for the construction of new storm water drains in Hollywood Road, Po Yan Street and Queen's Road, on a total length of 912 feet, the work to be completed on the 15th April, 1896. This work has been carried on in a very dilatory manner.

On the 30th June last, 64 working days after the contract time expired, only 570 lineal feet of main drain (4′. 6′′ × 4′. 10′′) had been completed, leaving 352 lineal feet of drains of somewhat smaller dimensions still to be built, also the masonry of the old and new drains to be connected, and the surface of a portion of the roads to be repaired and made good.

56. Section No. 5.-On the 11th February, 1896, a contract No. 36 was entered into with TSANG KENG for the construction of the rubble stone foundations of sea wall, storm water drains, em- bankment, &c.; the work was not, however, commenced until the 18th April, since then fairly good progress has been made, the whole of the guide piles, walings, &c., containing about 4,300 cubic feet of timber, have been driven and 23,274 cubic yards of rubble stone deposited in place.

57. Sections Nos. 6 and 7, Eastern and Western portions. Contract No. 20 made with TSANG KENG on the 11th April, 1894, for the construction of the rubble stone foundations of sea wall, landing piers, storm water drains, &c., was completed on the 28th of January, 1896.