Sessional_Paper_1897 — Page 188

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Four meetings were held during the year, at which projects for the following works were considered and approved :-

(1) Shaukiwan Water Works.

(2) Aberdeen Water Works.

(3) Construction of New Road from Victoria Gap to Mount Kellett Road.

(4) Extension of Wongneichong Recreation Ground.

(5) Pier at Kennedytown Sheep and Swine Depôt.

(6) Erection of Warders' Quarters, Victoria Gaol.

(7) Construction of Reservoir, Caretaker's Bungalow and Catchwater, Wongneichong Gap. (8) Catchwater, west of Taitam Valley.

(9) Service Reservoir and Bungalow, Victoria Peak.

(10) Alterations and Extensions to existing Water Distribution System, City of Victoria. (1) Taikoktsui Improvement Works.

(12) Fuk Tsun Heung Improvement Works.

(13) Formation and Drainage of Kimberley, Robinson and Observatory Roads, Kowloon. (14) Taipingshan Improvement Works, Blocks B. and G.

GENERAL.

100. As I pointed out in submitting the estimates for 1897, there were in abeyance a considerable number of public works; the most urgent of these, for which expenditure is not provided in the estimates for 1897, are. I consider, the following:--

Shaukiwan Market Extension.

Shaukiwan Slaughter House. Saiyingpoon Market.

Police Station, Eastern District.

Police Station, Western District.

Training Nullahs East for washing purposes.

Powder Magazine, Stone Cutters' Island.

101. A general statement of expenditure and clerical work other than that of a purely departmental character will be found in Appendix L.

102. The recurrence of bubonic plague during the year again necessitated some of the officers of this department undertaking special duties in connection with the arrangements made for the housing of the sick and disposal of the dead.

103. In Appendix M will be found a list of the Extraordinary Public Works under construction by this department during the years 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895 and 1896.

PRAYA RECLAMATION WORKs.-General.

104. This project includes the reclamation of the foreshore in front of the City of Victoria from Murray Road on the east to the western boundary of Marine Lot No. 188 on the west, as described in a report by Mr. J. M. PRICE, late Surveyor General, dated June 1st, 1888.

195. The execution of this work was authorised by Ordinance No. 16 of 1889. The necessary plan having been deposited in the Land Office, a schedule containing a list of the lessees of the several lots of land and sections. thereof and the approximate contribution required from each of them in res- pect of the cost of his portion of the reclamation was published in Government Notification No. 301 dated the 6th July, 1889.

A revised plan was deposited in the Land Office and a revised schedule published in Government Notification No. 530 dated the 19th December, 1891.

106. Certain difficulties having arisen as to the amounts to be paid in respect of the removal and re-erection of the wharves and piers disturbed by this project and the period for the payment of such amounts, the Praya Wharves and Piers Ordinance No. 7 of 1893 was enacted by His Excellency the Governor with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council on the 11th of April, 1893.

The table of compensation referred to in section 4 of that Ordinance was duly prepared by the valuers and published in Government Notification No. 384 dated the 28th October, 1893. and a list of the persons to whom it is proposed to pay the respective sums mentioned in such table was published in Government Notification No. 429 dated the 22nd of November, 1893.

107. Prior to the commencement of the work the details of the project were referred to Messrs. COODE, MATTHEWS & COODE, Civil Engineers, Westminster, who approved generally of the proposals made by the Colonial Government but strongly urged the importance of adopting some method to prevent the settlement of the rubble foundations after the wall was built and recommended that if the use of a steam roller was considered undesirable the rubble foundations should be carried up to a height allowing for the maximum settlement and then left probably for 12 months.

The weighting of the foundations by means of concrete blocks afterwards used in the lower por- tion of the wall was finally decided upon. The blocks exposed in the front of the wall being faced with granite ashlar. The subsidence of the rubble foundations experienced during the weighting has shewn the necessity of the course adopted.

108. In 1889. Mr. BOWDLER was appointed Special Engineer for this project under section 3, Ordinance No. 16 of 1889, and all work in connection with this project has been carried out under his immediate supervision.