Sessional_Paper_1898 — Page 377

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Quarters for Gaol Staff-The buildings standing on Inland Lot 144, acquired as a site for these quarters, have been demolished, and the materials, not required for work in the Gaol, removed. Plans for the new quarters are being prepared.

Sewerage of Victoria and Water and Drainage Works, Miscellaneous.-Extensions of sewers have been made where necessary and work has been commenced on the sewerage of No. 3 Section of the Praya Reclamation. The drains in connection with the formation of the new road to Hok Ün are practically completed. The diversion of a stream from the site of the Cotton Mills at Causeway Bay is in progress. The Western Market has been re-drained, several underground and extremely objec- tionable drains removed, and surface drainage substituted. An old and chiefly disused system of storm-water drains, commencing at the top of Possession Street and discharging near the Harbour Master's Office, was taken up and where possible entirely abolished: where still necessary, a new drain of smaller and better section and gradient was built.

Path between Wanchai and Wongneichong Gaps. A trace was made between these gaps, touching Middle Gap on the way, and a two-foot wide path has been cut along it for the use of pedestrians. If funds are available this will be opened into a 12-foot road in 1899.

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The Mount Kellett Road has been much improved by filling up a deep depression beyond the Gap between Wageningen" and Des Voeux Villas. The cost of this work was borne by Mr. EDE, who thereby got rid of a large quantity of earth from the front of "Myrtle Bank."

Victoria Jubilee Road.--The survey for this road was finally completed in June. It was delayed for several weeks by the serious illness of Mr. HUGHES, who contracted fever while working in the swamp near Aberdeen. The length of road traced and surveyed between Shaukiwan and Kennedy Town is 18 miles. The plans, which comprise some forty sheets of survey and cross sections, are well in hand, and calculations for the preparation of the Estimate are in progress. A very satisfactory trace, with good gradients, has been obtained, and it is hoped that a start with the work may shortly be made.

The unfortunate outbreak of Plague, and the uncertainty as to the expenditure which would be thereby involved, led to some desirable works being postponed for a time. The expenditure of the Department on Plague Account for the period under review amounted to $6,865.

A statement is annexed of the lands leased during the half-year, and the work done by the Survey Branch.

PRAYA RECLAMATION WORKS.

Com-

Satisfactory progress was made during the half-year under review with these works. mencing at the extreme west, a contract was let on the 13th April to Mr. CHAN A-TONG for depositing the rubble mound of Section 1 West; the alignment piles were fixed, and up to June 30th 719,118 cubic feet of rubble stone were delivered. This work will be completed in November. Work had been suspended on Section 1 East for two years, during which time the gas, water, and sewage mains had been laid, and considerable progress made with buildings on the reclaimed land. On the 23rd March, a contract was let to Mr. A CHEONG for bringing up the roadways to the proper level, surfacing them, and completing the footways. This work was satisfactorily completed on the 30th June, except a short length of footway in front of a building still under construction. The following is a record of the work done :-

Filling in and raising new Praya Lime concrete covering over wall Lime concrete margins of roadways.. Macadamizing roadways

Portland cement surfacing roads

Portland cement surfacing footpaths

.32,728 cubic feet.

5,859 19 104.23 squares. .1,080.33

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577.80

222.28 "J

$5

Section No. 2.—The completion of roadways and footpaths, which had been in abeyance for nearly 2 years, was resumed last year and completed in a very satisfactory manner by Mr. TSANG KENG in January.

Section No. 3.-Work on this section was considerably advanced under contract No. 23 by Mr. TSANG KENG. The telegraph and gas mains have been laid, and the laying of water and sewage mains is in progress. Building operations have been commenced by some of the lot-owners, and nothing re- mains to be done beyond the surfacing of some of the roads and of the footpaths.

Section No. 4.-The subsidence of about 314 lineal feet of the rubble mound on this section was described in a former report; during the half-year under review, the earth and silt which had collected over the subsided portion was removed by the dredger, and the mound brought up to the proper level, the necessary material, about 6,000 cubic yards of rubble, being supplied under contract by Mr. TSANG KENG. 385 lineal feet of the foundations were loaded with concrete blocks weighing about 22 tons per lineal foot of wall. Over 30,000 cubic yards of earth were deposited on this section, chiefly surplus earth from Taipingshan resumed area.