Sessional_Paper_1931 — Page 5

HONG KONG.

PRAYA EAST RECLAMATION SCHEME.

FINAL REPORT.

No. 1931

1

The Praya East Reclamation Scheme was under consideration as far back as 1897 and at that time the Director of Public Works, Mr. Ormsby, C.M.G., sounded a note of warning to the promotors of the scheme with regard to the large amount of rock that might be found in Morrison Hill and pointed out that such develop- ment on the Island would be a very heavy tax upon the then inadequate water sup- ply.

Due to the untiring efforts of Sir Paul Chater, Kt., C.M.G., the scheme ultima- tely received the sanction of Government in 1921 and resulted in the resumption of Morrison Hill and the passing of the Praya East Reclamation Ordinance No. 17 of After which the work was put in hand and carried to completion in 1930 by the Public Works Department on behalf of the participants-the Government being one of the interested parties.

This Ordinance provides that any accessory works involving additions and al- terations to the original scheme shall be undertaken from time to time as in the opinion of H. E. The Governor it is considered necessary or desirable for the pro- per fulfilment of the Scheme. Certain accessory works cannot be undertaken until the Royal Naval Arsenal Yard is removed to Stonecutters but these have been provided for on an agreed Estimate with the Naval Authorities so that it has been possible to ascertain the final cost of the work so as to enable lot holders to obtain their Crown leases.

In addition to the construction of the sea wall and piers and the actual filling in required for the Reclamation, the whole of the old drainage system as far back as Queen's Road East which discharged at the old Praya boundary had to be lifted so as to obtain the necessary outfalls on the line of the new sea wall, this necessitated not only the raising of the roads with all sewers and storm water drains but also the ground floor levels of some of the old houses.

On completion of the Praya East Reclamation Scheme, Government had con- templated constructing a roadway from th Grand Stand at Happy Valley to Ton- nochy Road with storm water culverts to take the Wongneichong Valley Drainage. This scheme had to be abandoned owing to the obstruction caused by the large core of solid rock remaining on the site of Morrison Hill after all suitable filling for the reclamation had been removed. The drainage was accordingly carried in its original course discharging onto the reclamation area at the Bowrington Canal Bridge which had to be reconstructed to meet the new conditions. A 36 feet wide nullah-an au- thorized work under the Reclamation Scheme-provides for the drainage through the reclamation to the sea front necessitating bridge connecting the roads crossing the New Reclamation.

Mr. Adam Anderson, B.E., B.A., R.U.I. (the Engineer who has, through- out, been associated with this Scheme and who for the most part has been the officer in charge of the work)-in his final report now submitted-gives full particulars of the various alterations necessitated during the progress of the work and the causes for the increased cost over the original Estimate due to the many difficulties met with.