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109. The accounts in connection with the receipts and expenditure have been kept in accordance with instructions contained in C.S.O. Nos. fit and f.

T892.

110. In May, 1893, C.S.O. H‡‡, an influentially signed petition was presented to His Excellency the Governor urging the Government to introduce without delay an ordinance to suspend for a time the Praya Reclamation Ordinance.

Instructions were consequently received to suspend for the present all work in connection with sections not already commenced and to carefully consider how far the prayer of the petitioners could be granted and also how the various complications that must necessarily arise on the stoppage of a work of this magnitude including so many and varied interests could be best arranged.

The final decision that the course proposed by the petitioners was impracticable was not arrived at till July, 1893, when I received instructions to proceed with the completion of the work.

The interruption caused to the progress of the work by this temporary suspension was very much greater than what might at first sight seem to have been the case. As will be seen on reference to the annual reports of this department the amount of work done during 1893 fell far short of that executed during 1892, but this was not all, the preparation of contracts for the completion of the works being also suspended, the carefully worked out programme for the rapid following on, after the rubble foundations had been deposited, of the weighting, construction of the wall and filling was no longer applicable.

On the resumption of the work, rubble foundations were not ready for levelling and weighting; consequently, the diving apparatus and block setting plaut could not be used as would have been the case had no interruption in the progress occurred; and further for the last three years owing to the period it takes to level and weight the foundations, the apparatus and plant obtained for this purpose, on the assumption that when once commenced the work would be continuous to completion, have proved insufficient to meet the demands made upon them; hence it is that the rapid completion of the reclamation from Ice House Street to Pottinger Street has been rendered impracticable, and letters have been received from the very persons who signed the petition in 1893 complaining of what they so strongly urged, viz., the suspension of the work.

111. In appendix N will be found a list of the several contracts entered into from the commen- cement of the work.

Work DONE DURING 1896.

112. Section No. 1.-Eastern portion. 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 erection on the Reclaimed Land of the new Buildings authorized to be built thereon by C.S.O. No., &c., consequently very little work has been done on this Section. During the year under review, 3,406 cubic yards of Earth were deposited in reclamation, 343 cubic feet Granite ashlar in Sea Wall, 2,908 Lineal feet curbs and channels laid, 10 superficial squares of Road macadamnized, 20,288 superficial feet Lime Concrete 4" deep laid on footpaths and margins, 160 cubic yards Lime Concrete laid under side Channels, Gullies etc. 17 Gullies set and 2,460 cubic feet of old parapet wall to nullah taken down and rebuilt.

113. Section No. 2.-Contract No. 13. No work has been done under this Contract, the work being still suspended pending the completion of the buildings authorized to be erected on the Reclaimed Land under C.S.O. No. H &c.

114. Section No 3.-Contract No. 23, for the completion of the upper portion of the Sea Wall, Landing Steps and Landing Pier above the Concrete Blocks, constructing Storm Water Drains, Reclaiming the Land, Forming, Channelling and concreting the Roads etc. was signed by TSANG KENG on the 4th March, 1895, and the work since that date has been carried on in an unsatisfactory manner. During the year under review 11,099 cubic yards of Rubble Stone laid "pierre perdue" has been supplied, 1,485 cubic yards Rubble Stone hand packed in embankment and backing of Sea Wall, 54,981 cubic yards of earth deposited in reclamation, 1,136 cubic yards Cement Concrete backing of Masonry in Sea Wall, 669 cubic yards Lime Concrete in counterforts of Ring Bolts and backing of Masonry in Storm Water Drains, 17,211 cubic feet of Granite Ashlar have been laid in Sea Wall and 12,438 cubic feet in Storm Water Drains, 633 lineal feet of Drain pipes 15", 12" and 9" diameter have been laid, 500 lineal feet of Curbs and Channels taken up and relaid, 783 superficial feet of old paving taken up and relaid, No. 2 Gullies set and No. 3 Manholes built and completed.

115. Section No. 4.-Contract No. 25, for the construction of the rubble stone foundations of Sea Wall was made with TSANG KENG on the 2nd April, 1895, the work to be completed on 31st January, 1896. During the year under review from the 1st January to the 25th May only 14,825 cubic yards of rubble stone were deposited in these foundations, the work being carried on in a most dilatory and unworkmanlike manner, therefore to ensure the work under contract No. 37 being completed, to allow the first course of Concrete Blocks being laid during the low Tides of May, June and July the work had to be taken out of TSANG KENG's hand and given to YAU KUNG CHEUNG to complete, who in addition to the work to be executed under Contract No. 37, supplied and deposited in place 7,919 cubic yards of Rubble Stone which allowed the blocks to be set during the low tides, and the whole to be completed on the 3rd October.