Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 700

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The expenditure on Arsenal Street Wharf was principally for an extension of it and for improving the original landing steps.

50. Maintenance of Public Cemetery. The extensions referred to in last year's report were completed, rendering available for interments an area of about one third of an acre. Permits to the number of 81 were issued for the erection and repair of monuments.

51. Maintenance of Public Recreation Grounds.-The Recreation Grounds were maintained in good order. Permanent pavilions have now been erected by the Naval and Military Clubs, the Custodian's matshed being moved to a new site to admit of the erection of the latter. The sites for the structures referred to were granted by Government on nominal terms. Permission was also granted to the Kowloon Cricket Club for the erection of a permanent pavilion adjoining the ground allotted to it in King's Park, Kowloon.

52. Dredging Foreshores. The total quantity of material dredged during the year amounted to 30,055 c. yds, of which 378 c. yards were dredged from the dust-boat stations at the expense of the Scavenging Contractor and 16,094 c. yds. from Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter. In addition to this the dredger was hired to Messrs. Punchard, Lowther & Co. for a period of 21 days. The dredger was docked and thoroughly overhauled in the month of July.

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53. Typhoon and Rainstorm Damages. In former years, this vote has appeared under Public Works, Extraordinary ", provision being made for it as occasion arose, but, as it has been of almost annual occurrence, it has been considered advisable to include it under Public Works, Recurrent". The principal part of the expenditure, which amounted to the large sum of $106,659.93, was for the repair of the damages caused by the disastrous typhoon of the 18th September, 1906, but the rainstorm of the 14th-15th September 1907 was accountable for some portion of the amount. A description of the damages caused by the 1906 typhoon is contained in H. E. Sir Matthew Nathan's Despatch No. 238 of the 5th October 1906, which was published in the Gazette of the 5th April 1907. Later investigations showed that the "pierre perdue" mound for the Praya walls at Kowloon Point and Kennedy Town and the pitching of the Causeway Bay breakwater had suffered much damage in the typhoon, the repairs being of an expensive nature.

54. Maintenance of City and Hill District Waterworks.-The year opened with the rider mains in operation, the supply in the Rider Main Districts being restricted to two hours a day-the supply in all other districts was constant-and this state of affairs continued until the 18th May when universal constant supply was restored. It was not found necessary to resort again to restrictive measures during the remainder of the year. Inter- mittent supply to the Rider Main Districts extended over a period of 137 days; a constant and unrestricted supply being in force for the remaining 228 days.

The quantity of water stored in the impounding reservoirs on the first of January amounted to 373,224,000 gallons and it reached a minimum on the 17th April when it amounted to 109,943,000 gallons.

The reservoirs were at or over their permanent overflow levels for the following periods :-

Tytam.....

.23rd June to 28th November.

Tytam Byewash...............various periods, amounting to 115 days, between

Wongneicheong

Pokfulam..

26th June and 5th November.

.........various periods, amounting to 97 days, between 10th May and 16th November,

..various periods, amounting to 109 days, between

14th May and 14th November.

The total quantity of water remaining in the reservoirs at the end of the year amounted to 382,682,000 gallons.