Witness I could not say they were put into the street, but they had to go into the doorways when they saw the pony coming along.
The Magistrate--$25.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND market at Shankiwan but I regret to say that the financial position of the Colony does not appar. ently admit of these works being proceeded with at present. As regards the Western Market,
The defendant-Will yon allow me to send its reconstruction should, if possible, be post the money up?
The Magistrate--Oh, of course. The defendant thereupon left the court. DEFÈNCE 'WORKs at HONGKONG. The following despatch from the Secretary of State was laid before the Legislative Council on Monday :----
Downing Street, 30th March, 1897. Sir,I. have the honour to inform you that since the construction of the Defence Works at Hongkong, it has been found necessary at all stations to provide a more efficient defence against torpedo craft, and it is now proposed to make the necessary change of armament.
2.-The estimated cost of such armament, including guns, mountings, &o,, is £28,500; and. the total estimated cost of the necessary works in connection with the new armament is £8,230; this amount being made up as follows :--
Emplacements, &c., at Stone-cutters' £1,900, Emplacements at Belcher's Point £4,000, Plat- forms, Magazines, &c., at Lyemun £1,500, and Storage for six Machine Guns for general de- fence £830.
:
3.-Following the preedent in regard to the cost of the existing Works and Armament, Her Majesty's Government propose that the cost of this new armament shall be borne by the Im- perial Government, and the cost of the works by the Colonial Government; and I trust that the Legislative Council will agree that this is a fair and reasonable arrangement.
The expenditure might be spread over two years, about £4,000 being provided before 31st March, 1898, and the remainder before 31st March, 1899. I am assured by the Secretary of State for War that the possibility of utilis. ing the existing works as much as practicable will be carefully considered and that every endeavour will be made to keep down the cost of the works.
I have to add that there are various new services of the nature of Barracks or for the completion of existing defences, which will have to be executed at Hongkong; but as these were not included in the Barrack Scheme already entered into with the Colonial Govern- ment, it is not now proposed to make any claim upon the colony in respect of these services, which will, it is estimated, cost some £11,500.
-I have, &c..
J. CHAMBERLAIN.“ Governor Sir W. Robinson, K.C.M.G., &c.,
&c., &o.
THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR 1896. Mr. Cooper, in his report for 1896 says "As this is probably the last annual report that I shall have the honour of submitting to you, have, in the hope that such information may be of use to my successor, included various tables, references, and opinions that under ordinary circumstances would be beyond the scope of such a report."
We
The report covers sixteen closely printed foolscap pages without the appendices. make the following extracts from it:---
Government Offices.In a report to the Go- vernment Office Committee, I pointed out the present unsatisfactory condition of the accom modation available for Government Depart- ments. The present accommodation is inade-
[May 20, 1897. described in a report by Mr. J. M. Price, late Surveyor General, dated June 1st, 1888.
The execution of this work was authorised by Ordinance No. 16 of 1889. The necessary plan having been deposited in the Land Office, a poned pending the erection of the new Harbour schedule containing a list the lessees of the. ' Office. A considerable increase in the present several lots of land and sections thereof and the market accommodation in this district is re-approximate contribution required from each quired, and the project for a new maket should of them in respect of the cost of his portion of include the erection of buildings on the present the reclamation was published in Government site and also on the site of the existing Harbour Notification No. 301 dated the 6th July, 1889. Office The question of reserving the site on the Reclamation opposite the Central Market for the "rection of a fish market ́deserves con- sideration.
A revised plan was deposited in the Land Office and a revised schedule published in Go-
vernment Notification No. 530 dated the 19th December, 1891.
Police Stations. These have been maintained Certain difficulties having arisen as to the amounts to be paid in respect of the removal in a satisfactory state of repair as far as their age admits. In the City of Victoria, Stations and re-erection of the wharves and piers distur- number 7 in the Western District and number bed by this project and the period for the pay- 2 in the Eastern District, however, requirement of such amounts, the Praya Wharves and reconstruction, and increased accommodation Piers Ordinance No. 7 of 1893 was enacted by is required in these stations and at No. 5. His Excellency the Governor with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council on the A new station is required at Taitam and one
11th of April, 1893. is also required at Shek O.
Hospitals. The buildings are in a satisfac tory state of repair, and though the accom- modation at the Government Civil Hospital is insufficient to meet the increasing require ments of the colony the site is now built over to such an extent that no further build ings should be erected upon it. Land is bow- ever available for extensions in a Sontherly direction between the Bonham and Richmond Roads. Laundry accommodation is urgently required in connection with the hospitals and a disinfecting station should be established at Kennedytown.
The table of compensation referred to in sec- tion 4 of that Orinânce was duly prepared by the valuers and published in Government Not- tification No. 384 dated the 28th October, 1893, and a list of persons to whom it is proposed to pay the respective sums mentioned in such table was published in Government No- tification No. 429 dated the 22nd of November, 1893.
Prior to the commencement of the work the details of the project were referred to Messrs.
recommended that if the use of a steam rolier was considered undesirable the rubble founda. tions should be carried up to a height allowing bably for 12 months. for the maximum settlement and then left pro-
Coode, Matthews & Coode, Civil Engineers, Westminster, who approved generally of the Gaol.The Gaol buildings have been main- proposals made by the Colonial Government tained in a satisfactory state of repair, but not. but strongly urged the importance of adopting withstanding the addition recently carried out some method to prevent the settlement of the on the west side of Old Bailey, the accommoda-rubble foundations after the wall was built and tion falls short of that required. Projects are under consideration for the erection of Warders Quarters and a new Gaol Hospital. Victoris.Extensive repairs have been executed Maintenance of Roads and Bridges in
to the macadam surfaces of Queen's Road, Praya Central, Bonham Strand, Cleverly Street, Sharp Street, and Heard Street; also to the concrete surfaces of Zetland Street, Battery Path, and Garden Road. The surfaces of Ken- nedy, Bowen, and Wanchai Roads have been repaired with.decomposed granite. The timber bridge, Hill Load, has been replaced by an iron and concrete structure.
The weighting of the foundations by means of concrete blocks afterwards used in the lower portion of the wall was finally decided upon. The blocks exposed in the front of the wall being faced with granite ashlar. The subsidence of the rubble foundations experienced during the weighting has shewn the necessity of the course adopted.
In 1889, Mr. Bowdler was appointed special engineer for this project under section 3, Ordinance No. 16 of 1889, and all work in con- nection with this project has been carried out under his immediate supervision,
Maintenance of Roads and Bridges out of has been Victoria.-Considerable attention bestowed upon these roads and bridges. Cape D'Aguilar, Magazine Gap, Wanchai Gap,
In May, 1893, an infiuentially signed petition Mount Kellet, Pokfulam and Shaukiwan Roads; also Little Hongkong New Road and the roads was presented to His Excellency the Governor at Aberdeen, have been thoroughly repaired. urging the Government to introduce without | All the bridges have been examined and repair-delay an ordinance to suspend for a time the
ed where necessary.
The bridge over the Praya Reclamation Ordinance. stream at Wongneichong Village has been reconstructed, brick arches replacing the old timber structure.
Maintenance of Roads and Bridges in Kow. loon. The principal s.reets in the villages of Yaumati and Hang Hom have been surfaced with decomposed granite, and the roads and bridges throughout the Peninsula maintained in a satisfactory state of repair.
Maintenance of Water Works, City of Victoria and Hill District.—The total quantity of water supplied to the Hill District during the year was 12,494,000 gallons or at the rate of 20.5 gallons per head per diem. (Popula. tion 1,660 census 1897.
Instructions were consequently received to suspend for the present all work in connection with sections not already commenced and to carefully consider how far the prayer of the petitioners could be granted and also how the various complications that must necessarily arise on the stoppage of a work of this magni- tude including so many and varied interests could be best arranged.
The final decision that the course proposed by the petitioners was impracticable was not arrived at till July, 1893, when I received in- structions to proceed with the completion of
the work.
quate to meet the present requirements, and the measured by meter in accordance with the sight seem to have been the case. As will be condition of the buildings in many instances is such that, in the course of a few years, it is an- ticipated considerable works of reconstruction will be necessary.
Markets. The question of improved market accommodation, both in the City of Victoria and the villages, is one requiring urgent consider- ation. Attention has been repeatedly drawn to the condition of the Western and Saiyingpoon Markets, which require reconstruction, and to the inadequate accommodation provided by the present market at Shaukiwan. Plans and estimates have been prepared for the erection of a new market at Saiyingpoon on the present site, and for the extension of the
In the Hill District, all water supplied is
Water Works Ordinance No. 6 of 1895. The introduction of meters has effected a diminution in the consumption of water, but the consump- tion still appears unnecessarily high, and when the scarcity of the water supply during the last three years and the cost of raising the water some 1,400 feet is considered, the importance of adopting every practicable means for secur- ing, economical use of water consistent with sanitary requirements is obvious.
PRAYA RECLAMATION WORKS, GENERAL,
The interruption caused to the progress of the work by this temporary suspension was very much greater than what might at first seen on reference to the annual reports of this department the amount of work done during 1892, but this was not all, the preparation of 1893 fell far short of that executed during contracts for the completion of the works being also suspended, the carefully worked out pro- gramme for the rapid following on, after the rubble foundations had been deposited, of the
weighting, construction of the wall and filling was no longer applicable.
On the resumption of the work, rubble foun- This project includes the reclamation of the dations were not ready for levelling and weight- foreshore in front of the City of Victoria from ing; consequently, the diving apparatus and Murray Road on the east to the western bound-block setting plant could not be used as would ary of Marine Lot No: 188 on the west, as have been the case had no interruption in the-
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