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9. Piers.-In consequence of the numerous applications received for the right of erecting piers opposite the ends of public streets, in certain portions of the City, recourse was had to public auction for the disposal of such rights, with the result that a substantial sum ($53,520) was realized. With the exception of $1,020 paid for a pier on a short lease at Yaumati, the above amount was derived from 3 piers opposite the West end of Wing Lok Street, Queen Street and Sutherland Street, respectively, for all of which leases extending to the 31st December, 1949, will be issued. Rent is payable under the Piers Ordinance (No. 37 of 1899). Licences were issued for 10 temporary piers in Hongkong, 6 in Kowloon and 6 in the New Territory, the amount of fees payable for these being $1,659.48.

10. Granite Quarries.-A new system of letting the granite quarries was adopted. Hitherto, a monopoly of the right of quarrying granite has been let by tender or public auction for a term of one year and, though the quarries in Hong- kong and Kowloon were put up separately, it generally happened that all of them fell into the hands of one man. The quarries have now been divided up into small groups and let for periods of 5 years, Government reserving to itself the right to lease any number of new quarries which may be required. The annual income from this source is $25,525, exclusive of quarries in the New Territory.

WORK UNDER THE BUILDING ORDINANCE.

11. Pians.--Plans were deposited during the year for the following :-

European houses,

Chinese houses,

33

467

Buildings and structures other than the above,... 370 Alterations and additions to existing buildings,

Total,

809

.1,679

There was a marked decrease, as compared with 1901, in the two first items, the new houses for which plans were submitted numbering only 500 as against 952. In the fourth item, there was an increase of 237.

12. Certificates.-Certificates for 937 new buildings were issued under section 53 of Ordinance 15 of 1889, an increase of 244 as compared with 1901.

13. Verandahs and Balconies.-Permission was granted for the erection of 117 verandahs and balconies.

14. Notices and Permits.-Notices relating to structures in a dangerous condi- tion were served in 144 cases, whilst 1,583 permits and 74 notices of a miscellaneous nature were issued.

15. Ordinances.-A Bill consolidating the laws in force relative to buildings and containing numerous amendments was read a first time on the 11th March, but was subsequently withdrawn in consequence of its being ascertained that it did not embody all the suggestions which the Sanitary Experts (Mr. O. CHADWICK and Professor SIMPSON) proposed to make with a view to improving the sanitary con- dition of the City.

Another Bill, entitled the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, in which all the laws in force relating to these matters were consolidated and amended, was read a first time on the 7th July, 1902. It had not, however, been passed by the close of the year. Its principal features were the abolition of cubicles not directly lighted by windows, the requirement of lanes and larger yard-spaces, and the abate- ment of overcrowding by requiring a greater floor-area and cubic space per head in the case of most of the existing houses.

16. General Remarks.-An unsatisfactory feature of the year was the large number of collapses of buildings which occurred, inany of the buildings involved being new or nearly so. In several cases the collapses were attended with con- siderable loss of life. With a view to preventing such occurrences in future, numerous provisions have been inserted in the new Ordinance referred to above. They include a substantial increase in the thickness of walls and the building of certain portions in cement mortar, the insertion of iron tie-rods in unsupported ex- ternal walls of considerable length, the prohibition of persons practising as Archi- tects unless authorized by the Governor in Council and the imposition of increased responsibilities upon Architects.