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Appendix No. 18.

HONGKONG, 16th January, 1902.

DEAR SIR,-With reference to the question whether the Public Works Department Staff is overworked or not, I should say not.

No doubt they do as much work as can reasonably be required of them, and if they got through all the work required of the Department, they would be, to a certain extent, overworked, but the works they are unable to do without being overworked are left until there is time to do them.

In many of the branches I consider the supply equal to the demand, as, for ins- tance, the Praya Reclamation.

The following is my idea of the Staff necessary to carry out the works set forth in the Estimates for 1902, and any small additional works that may be required:-

1. The Director of Public Works.

2. Praya and all other reclamation works, except in the New Territory, 2 Executive Engineers.

3. Waterworks, except New Kowloon Waterworks, one Executive and one Assistant Engineer.

4. New Government. buildings, including the New Territory, one Executive and two Assistant Engineers.

5. Building Ordinances, (private buildings) one Executive Engineer and two "Building Inspectors.

6. New Roads and Bridges, one Assistant Engineer, and one Surveyor (Indian).

7. Maintenance of existing roads and buildings, one Assistant Engineer.

8. Crown Lands, one Superintendent, (Assistant Engineer) and one European Land Surveyor.

I should think an Assistant Engineer, one European and one Indian Land Surveyor and a Building Inspector in addition to the present staff, would be sufficient.

It must be borne in mind that the work for 1902 is exceptional, but on the other hand it would be as well to provide for future works. The staff of the P. W. D. should be in proportion to the size of the city and towns of the Colony..

I should point out that I have not included the Survey of the New Territory in my estimate, as I understand this is being done by a special staff, and, with reference to surveys, I think there should be a survey of the city and suburbs of Victoria, and a permanent Surveyor to keep pace with the alterations continually being made. He should have a record of all new buildings, &c., and as soon as they are completed, plot them on a plan of the city.

E. D. C. WOLfe, Esq., Secretary of the Public Works Commission.

Yours faithfully,

A. DENISON.