Sessional_Paper_1912 — Page 85

81

HONGKONG.

NEW POST OFFICE.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF INCREASE IN COST.

No.

19

1912

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, December 19th, 1912.

1. The proposal to construct a new building to accommodate the Post Office, Treasury, &c., was first dealt with by a Committee appointed in September 1894, who recommended inter alia that competitive designs should be invited for such a building (vide Sessional Paper 31/1896).

2. After prolonged correspondence and discussions, chiefly concerning the site on which the building should be erected (vide Sessional Papers 2/1898 and 16/1902 and Legislative Council Minutes 28.2.98), it was finally decided in 1902 to purchase the recently reclaimed area belonging to Sir Robert Jardine, on the west side of Pedder Street, at an outlay of $508,280 (vide Sessional Paper 16/1902). This decision was confirmed by resolution of the Legislative Council on the 10th April 1902. The sanction of the Secretary of State to inviting competitive designs, as suggested by the Committee above mentioned, was obtained and the Conditions of Competition were published in December 1902, one of such conditions being that the total cost of the building, exclusive of Architects' commission, was not to exceed $500,000. The Architects' commission on this sum would have amounted to about $25,000, thus making the total cost $525,000. The building was specified to be 3 stories in height, with a basement underneath for storage purposes, &c..

3. The design submitted by Messrs. Denison, Ram & Gibbs was selected on the 13th July 1903, the firm being officially notified on the 17th July. In the report which accom- panied their design, the following statement was made with regard to the cost :-

"With regard to the question of cost it is believed that the buildings can be built "as shown on plans for the sum named in the conditions, viz., $500,000: "but the extent to which stone could be used, and steel construction and "the better classes of wood made use of, would have to depend in great "measure upon the local conditions of building prices at the time when "tenders are invited. According to present information the estimate is kr made up as follows

"Estimated cost of foundations including drainage,......$122,000

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22

Superstructure and fittings, Lighting, Heating & Ventilation,.

Contingencies,

CL

Total,

353,000

21,000

4,000

$500,000"

4. The Public Works Committee, to whom the designs had been submitted in the beginning of May, recommended in their report of the 13th July 1903 that a fourth storey should be added to the building and their recommendation was approved by Government. The question of the extra cost involved in this proposal was referred to Messrs. Denison, Ram & Gibbs on the 23rd July, who replied on the 27th July 1903 that they estimated the cost of the additional storey at $75,000. Adding Architects' commission (say $3,750) to this sum, the total estimated cost became $603,750.