ENG-1972 — Page 179

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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

for access to the other container berths continued. Dredging of the sea approaches to the container berths progressed well and work began on the seawall for the Kwai Chung incinerator.

Among works completed in the New Territories were a bund for coastal pro- tection at Tai O on Lantau Island, the first stage of the extension of Cheung Chau Praya, and 1,100 feet of seawall for Castle Peak new town. Work began on public piers at Sha Lo Wan on Lantau Island and at Sai Wan on Cheung Chau.

Navigational beacons were constructed on Ngau Chau in East Lamma Channel, on the rock outcrop of Lo Shue Pai near Chai Wan, and at eight points in Deep Bay.

Land Development

Progress at the two new towns at Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan included the formation of 0.9 acres of land and 25.9 acres of reclamation. At Kwun Tong, 13.8 acres were reclaimed from Kowloon Bay for industrial development. At Tsuen Wan- Kwai Chung, 13 acres of land were formed, comprising 0.9 acres of formed hillside sites for government low-cost housing; and 12.1 acres of reclamation at Gin Drinker's Bay.

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In Kowloon, development of land for low-cost housing, schools, government and institutional uses included about 6.9 acres of terraced sites at Ho Man Tin and 4.5 acres at Pak Tin. At Kai Tak, 18 acres of land were formed for the extension of airport facilities, and 4.7 acres at Tong Mi Road.

On Hong Kong Island, reclamation continued with the formation of six acres of land at Chai Wan and 2.8 acres at Sandy Bay. At Hing Wah, 5.4 acres of terraced sites were formed for a resettlement estate.

In the first stage of the new town at Castle Peak, a further six acres of land were formed by cutting and filling. Work continued on the remaining site formation, roads and drains including the trunk road between San Hui and Fu Tei. In the first stage of the new town at Sha Tin, a further 11.4 acres of land were reclaimed, completing site for the first government housing estate there.

Quarrying

There are six major quarries in full production under the government policy of concentrating stone production in large quarries let on long-term contracts. During the year, progress was made towards implementing regulations to ensure greater work- ing safety in these quarries; including the provision of additional land where required to form haulage roads for access to quarry benches, so as to reduce the working height of the rock faces. Only five private quarries are still operating under the old system of Crown Land Permits and these will shortly be closed down as new quarries on contract replace them.

Supplies of crushed-rock aggregates for construction works were adequate throughout the year; there was a fall in demand in the middle of the year as con- struction was slowed down by bad weather but this increased again towards the end