Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 243

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(i.) Public Works Department Store:--The various buildings comprised under this heading are being erected in the eastern section of Wanchai Store-yard. They consist of a large two-storey building, a series of low sheds, roofed in and open along the front, and quarters for an overseer. The whole of the works are nearing

completion.

(iii.) Disinfector Station and Inspector's Quarters.-The site for these buildings, which is immediately to the East of No. 8 Police Station, required a great deal done to it in the shape of levelling, constructing retaining walls, &e. This portion of the work is nearing completion and a commencement has been made with the foundations of the Inspector's Quarters.

(iv.) Completion of Macdonnell Road.—This work consisted of extending the road constructed in 1891, between Kennedy and Bowen Roads, eastward to form a junction with the former. The work has been completed and practically every available building site along the entire length of the road has been sold and building operations are in progress on all of them. In connection with this work, a couvenient pathway has been constructed alongside one of the Nullahs, between Macdonnell and Kennedy Roads.

(v.) Public Latrines.—A plan and estimate was prepared and tenders were received for an extensive latrine in the Taipingshan District. In consequence, however, of the opposition raised to the site by the Pó Léung Kuk Directors the work was abandoned. A new site has since been selected, but, as this involved the pre- paration of a new plan and estimate, the building has not yet been begun.

A plan and estimate has also been prepared for a latrine to contain 40 seats, situated at the east end of Wing Lok Street, and tenders for the work have been invited.

The only work of this class which has been executed was paid from the Vote "Miscellaneous Works," and mention of it has already been made under that heading.

(vi.) Washing Tanks at Tai Hang.—The bed of the Tai Hang Stream has for many years been used by the washermen of the Colony as the principal place for carrying out their operations. Rough tanks were formed. by removing the smaller boulders from any suitable spot in the stream bed and piling them round the sides, and as these tanks were dotted about on varying levels, it followed that the waste water from the upper ones found its way into the lower ones, which therefore never received a supply of clean water. Besides, a foul sediment accumulated in the bottom of the tanks as there was no proper provision made for drainage. This state of matters has been remedied by constructing a dam across the stream some distance below the Mint Dam and arranging a row of properly-constructed washing tanks immediately below it. All washing above the dam has been prohibited and a supply of clean water to the tanks has thus been ensured, each tank being supplied direct from the dam. The tanks, 20 in number, are built partly of stone and partly of brick, ren- dered with cement, and provision is made for the proper drainage of all of them, so that there should be no possibility of foul deposits occurring as formerly. The work, though of small extent, must be regarded as of some importance to the Colony from a sanitary point of view. The training of the stream below the tanks is a matter which should be undertaken in order to convey away the waste water and prevent the accumulation of filth which at present occurs among the boulders.

(vii.) Wells in Villages.---Wells were sunk at the following villages to enable the inhabitauts to obtain a supply

of water, removed as far as possible from sources of contamination :—

2 at Aplichau.

2 at Tai Kok Tsui.

1 at Little Hongkong (old village). 1 at Little Hongkong (new village).

(vili.) Taipingshun Improvements.-The only expenditure incurred under this heading was for the payment of a balance due on a contract completed in 1898 and for a little work done in surfacing a lane where buildings

had been erected.

The total cost of the operations in terracing and laying out the resumed area, including water and drain- age works, &c., after deducting a sum of $16,568 recovered from the Praya Reclamation Works for the value of material deposited there as filling, has been $107,874.58. If to this be added the cost of the resumption, amounting to $818,098.32, the total outlay becomes $925,972.90.

(ix.) Forming and Kerbing Streets. A considerable amount of work was executed under this heading in mak-

ing or concreting the roads and streets in the newly-built areas of the City and Villages.

The principal parts dealt with were Sun, Moon and Star Streets, Macdonnell Road (including a new pathway, west of the Tramway, to Bowen Road), the district immediately west of Bowrington Canal, and sundry lanes and streets in Mongkoktsui and elsewhere.

(x.) Extensions of Gas Lighting.--Gas lamps have been provided in Sun, Moon and Star Streets and along

Macdonnell Road and the pathways communicating with it.

(xi.) Governor's Peak Residence.—It was decided at a late period of the year that this work should be proceeded with and a contract was let for forming the site and approach road. Good progress has been made with the entting away of the hill and the construction of the necessary retaining wall."

(xii.) Training Nullahs, Kennedy Road Sites.-The third of the branch Nullahs discharging into Albany Nullah was trained between Bowen and Kennedy Roads to admit of laying out building sites, and with the same object, the fourth branch Nullah was trained between Macdonnell and Kennedy Roads and covered over. (xiii.) Laying out Farm Lot 1, &c., Faumati.—-In accordance with the terms of the agreement arrived at with the owners of this lot for its conversion into inland lots, the roads have been formed and the Nullah, which formerly crossed the property in an irregular manner, has been diverted and trained in a masonry channel. It now remains for the owners to fill in the lots according to the agreement. When this has been done, the property will cease to be the insanitary nuisance it undoubtedly has been for many years past.

(xiv.) Improvement of Gas Lighting-The necessary modifications were made and Welsbach burners fitted to 210 lamps. Only 14 of the ordinary street lamps now remain to be so altered, besides 9 special lamps in use at the various public wharves.

(xv.) Extension of Station Street, Kowloon.—Though a comparatively small work, the extension of Station Street is an important one as it forms a means of communication to Taikokusui, which is rapidly becoming au important village, and other large villages beyond. It has also been adopted as the line for the new main road to Tái Pó, which will be referred to later on. The work, which involved a heavy cutting, has been completed and an attempt is now being made to reduce to order the numerous hovels and enclosures forming the squatters' holdings in Mongkoktsui village.