Sessional_Paper_1946 — Page 57

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Materials,

9. It is estimated that the repair of these "B" and "C" buildings alone will require at least 3,600 tons of teak or hardwood, 400,000 sq. ft. of glass, 600 baths, 600 complete W.C. sets, and 600 lavatory basins, to name only a few of the materials needed.

From the information so far received of orders actually accepted by the suppliers, which are likely to be shipped in the near future, the prospects of being able to undertake more than a part of this work, to say nothing of other first priority construction for hospitals, health department, education, police, etc., do not seem very rosy.

Technical Personnel.

And

10. It is not only materials that are needed. Architects and Engineers qualified to prepare drawings and draw up contract documents for each building are required. for civilian construction a staff of technical officers in the P.W.D. is needed to check designs and ensure that all work is carried out in accordance with the Building Ordinance. It is doubtful if the number of civilian architects in the Colony at present is sufficient to under- take more than about one third of the above programme,

And the technical supervisory staff in the Buildings, Lands & Surveys sections of the P.W.D. is still hopelessly inadequate. Of a pre-war European staff of 30 officers and 23 subordinates there are now only 10 and 9 respectively, i.e., a little over one-third.

Labour.

11. Finally, skilled building labour must be forthcoming in sufficient strength. Certain trades (e.g. carpenters and joiners, plumbers and painters) are already inadequate for the limited building now in progress. The Japanese took large numbers of carpenters and joiners out of the Colony, and their return does not seem to have been so rapid as was at first expected.

Priority Committee.

12. It is evident that steps will have to be taken to draw up a priority list of works to ensure that materials in short supply are used in the best interests of the community. A Priority Committee under the Chairmanship of Col. T. R. Rowell has been proposed with this end in view. The Committee should review all applications to carry out building work and allot to each a priority number ranging from I to IV. Jobs classified on Priority I would normally be put in hand at once, and others would be allowed to start in order of their priority, depending on the supply of materials in the Colony.

Finance.

13. Estimates of the total cost of reconstruction, and of materials separately, are attached. The task of arriving at these figures is such a complicated one and involves so many uncertain factors that the estimates must be accepted with reserve. Rates are based on experience gained during the first six months of re-occupation, but the forecast cannot be regarded as more than fairly intelligent guesswork.

The costs do not include for repairing buildings up to pre-war standard; they only provide for a minimum standard, sufficient to render the buildings capable of occupation.

The approximate costs for the Colony are of the order of :-

Repairs

Rebuilding

March 1946 Rates.

.H.K.$ 56,000,000

131,000,000

1941 Rates.

H.K. $11,000,000

26,000,000

The actual cost will probably lie somewhere between the 1941 and the March 1946 prices. The range is large-but who at this stage can foretell what the figure will be?

Private Buildings.

14. Even if the necessary materials begin to arrive in the Colony the present cost of reconstruction work is prohibitive for the ordinary private owner, and for real estate corporations whose duty it is to ensure that their concerns do not run at a loss. A few of the bigger firms will probably do limited repairs on their houses sufficient to ensure that their own staffs have a roof over their heads, but these are not expected to form more than a very small proportion of the whole.

When building costs have attained the heights at which they stand at present, only really ample imports of materials will bring them down to levels at which the ordinary owner can afford to carry out any but the smallest repairs. Throughout the world many building materials are in short supply and we may have to face the prospect of a contin- uance of pretty high rates for some time. It will therefore probably be necessary to consider what steps Government should take to ensure that reconstruction of civilian housing accommodation is carried out. Assuming that the necessary materials can be arranged for, three courses have been suggested:-