Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 248

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56. Wheel traffic will follow in due course and cattle will be bred and trained for the purpose. 57. In the Annual Report for 1897 the following remarks were made regarding over-crowding and the extension of buildings

"If a large proportion of the working coolie population of Hongkong can find quarters, and inducements to live at the Kowloon side. in well laid out, well drained, airy streets built as they are being built with modern ideas of sanitation and with the experience of the errors of the past before one's eyes, instead of in the dangerously over-crowded rookeries of China Town in Victoria, the benefits to the majority of the population of the Colony will be great."

58. This change has to some extent been taking place. The price of land in Yaumati and Mongkoktsui has trebled, huge blocks of tenement houses have been built, and became fully occupied immediately on completion, while the owners of steam launches plying across the harbour have been doing an enormous trade. Omitting the Star Ferry, 15 launches ply daily across the harbour, making an average of 18 trips each, or 270 trips in all in the day. The average number of passengers is said to be 45 or 12,150 per diem or 4,434,750 per annum. The Secretary of the Star Ferry Co. states that his company carried 4,088,737 passengers during the year.

This may be causing some delay in the selling of Taipingshan resumed area, but is otherwise resulting in public advantage.

DEPARTMENTAL AND PERSONAL,

39. The following officers proceeded to Europe on leave during the year :-

Mr. C. C. MALSCH, for four mouths from the 1st February, followed by his retirement from the service.

Mr. J. R. MUDIE, Executive Engineer, for nine months from the 19th June.

Of the subordinate staff the following had vacation leave :--

Mr. SING QUA, Draftsman, 1 month.

Mr. A. H. NIMMO, Overseer, 3 months. Mr. J. CARROLL, Overseer, 4 months. Mr. TSE TSAN TAI, Clerk, 6 weeks. Mr. I. A. REMEDIOS, Clerk, 2 weeks. Mr. P. JULYAN, Clerk, 2 months,

60. The following officers returned from long leave :— Mr. DAVID WOOD, on the 4th May.

Mr. I. R. CROOK, on the 31st May.

Mr. H. P. TOOKER, on the 1st December.

61. Mr. H. WHITE was appointed Overseer of the Public Cemetery from the 1st January, succeeding Mr. E. THOMPSON, who retired on pension. This office was transferred to the Sanitary Board.

Mr. F. STAINTON, who had been employed for a considerable time on waterworks, and paid from an open estimate, was appointed an Overseer on the establishment from the 1st January. Mr. G. MOLLISON, Overseer of the waterworks staff, resigned, after nearly 10 years' service, on the 20th November, on receiving an appointment at a much higher salary in Shanghai. This led to a step of promotion throughout the class. Mr. A. W. MILLAR'S services were dispensed with from the 7th November. Mr. J. MILLAR was promoted from the sune late, and was succeeded by Mr. A. W. J. SIMMONS, as Water Inspector. Mr. G. M. GUTIERREZ, Clerk, was promoted to the Colonial Secretary's Office and was succeeded by Mr. J. B. GUTIERREZ.

Mr. B. W. GREY was appointed Temporary Land Surveyor on the 1st May, and was employed to trace the road from Hok Ün to Kowloon City, and five miles of the proposed Saikung Road, also the connection between the Wells Road and the Kowloon City Road. He was subsequently employed to supervise the construction of the latter and of the Kowloon City Road.

62. In March Mr. ORMSBY, Director of Public Works, was directed to accompany the Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G., who as Commissioner representing Great Britain proceeded with the Commissioner appointed by the Government of China to delimit the Northern boundary of the New Territory.

Mr. I. M. XAVIER, Surveyor, also accompanied the party, and took several useful observations fixing the line, as well as numerous photographs.

63. The retirement on pension of Mr. MALSCH and temporary abolition of his office, following on the retirement in the previous year of Mr. BowDLER and the abolition of his office, threw a consider- able amount of work on a Department already insufficiently strong and with the additional work connected with the New Territory to attend to, The strengthening of the Department has become an urgent necessity.