Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 334

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MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC RECREATION GROUND.

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27. The Wongueichong and the Queen's Recreation Grounds have been kept in a good state of repair. On the former a portion of the turf was taken up and relaid (C.S.O. 1373) and this work should be continued as opportunity offers.

MAINTENANCE OF CLOCk Tower.

28. The Clock has been kept, cleaned and repaired by Messrs. FALCONER & Co. without any exceptional expenditure.

FORMING ANd Curbing STREETS.

29. The principal work done under this vote includes the forming, curbing and channelling of streets in Tai Hang New Village, the curbing and channelling of Austin Road, Kowloon, and the forming, curbing and channelling of Belcher Street from Queen's Road West to Collinson Street.

EXTENSION OF GAS LIGHTING.

30. Under this vote, 12 new lamps were erected in Barker Road, and 6 in Pokfulam Conduit Road.

IMPROVEMENT OF GAS LIGHTING.

31. Nothing was done under this item of expenditure calling for special mention.

SIGNALLING STATION, GREEN ISLAND.

32. In order to improve the method of signalling the approach of vessels, especially those bound from the South, it was considered advisable to construct à Signalling Station on the top of Green Island (C.S.O..) This involved the erection of a flag staff, and matshed quarters for the signalman on Green Island, also the laying of a cable between Kennedy Town and Green Island so as to establish telephonie communication between the New Station and the Harbour Office.

The flag staff was constructed and fixed by the Dock Company, the lower mast and yard being of steel. The cable was laid by this Department, it is of B type, and was purchased from the Joint Telegraph Cos. The total cost of establishing the station was $6,777.99.

CABLE FROM CAPE D'AGUILAR TO WAGLAN ISLAND.

33. In connection with the taking over of the Lighthouse on Waglan Island by the Colonial Government it was con- sidered necessary to lay a cable from Cape D'Aguilar to Waglan so as to bring the Lighthouse into telephonic communication with the Telegraph Cos' Office. The Cable was purchased from the Joint Telegraph Cos. and laid on the 25th of December by the S.S. Sherard Osborn kindly lent by the Great Northern Telegraph Co. for the work. (C.S.O. 2 Extension.)

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PRIVATE STREETS IMPROVEMENT.

34. During the year the important work of improving private streets by concreting, channelling, draining and providing them with lighting apparatus at the owners' expense under the authority of sections 9 and 10 of Ordinance 34 of 1899 was began. Eleven private streets running from Quecu's Road Central to Des Voeux Road and imme- diately West of the Central Market, were taken in hand. Most of these streets were paved with large stone slabs which were very uneven and loose, and laid with wide joints through which water found its way and lodged underneath causing a most insanitary state of things. The drainage was inadequate, and the streets were either very badly lighted or not lighted at all. New surfaces were formed by laying on the top of the stone paving from 4 to 6 inches of lime and cement concrete. The Drainage was properly provided for and sufficient gas lamps erected, the total expenditure being $7,491.82 chargeable against the owners of the land abutting on the streets. 10. The following were the principal items carried out under the vote for Miscellaneous Works:-

the extension to the General Post Office authorized in C.S.O. 5 was taken in hand, and completed in November, the total amount expended including extras on the contract being 35,507.62.

11. The approaches to Belilios Reformatory were improved and the slopes turfed at a cost of $800. (C.S.0.728)

12. A public latrine of 40 seats was built in the Taipingshan District at a cost of $2,644,41. 13. A new service reservoir above Glenealy was built at the expenditure of $3,995.

14. The landing pier at Kowloon City, referred to in last year's Annual Report, the timber work of which had become rotten and dangerous, was renewed at a cost of $2,816 additional to the sum spent in 1899.

15. The Treasury was provided with electric light for an expenditure of $407.16.

16. A new Telephone line was constructed between Government house and The Cliffs which cost $77.96.