ENG-1974 — Page 189

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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

In addition to the major water schemes, work continued on other projects to provide for increasing demand in existing and new areas of development. The exten- sion of supplies to New Territories villages in the Tai Po and Yuen Long districts was completed and a further scheme was under consideration. In Kowloon the first stage of a scheme to extend supplies eastwards to provide for new development was well in hand, as was the provision of supplies to new development at Lai Chi Kok. On Hong Kong Island, a scheme to improve supplies to Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan was well in hand and a scheme to provide for growing development at Pok Fu Lam was started.

The implementation of improvements in consumer services continued to be hampered by the lack of middle management staff, while the shortage of clerical staff continued to pose problems in dealing with the ever increasing number of consumers. On the brighter side, approval was given to proceed with computerisation of the meter installation and water billing systems. Further detailed studies on specific requirements were necessary for the monitoring of the waterworks system and these continued throughout the year in connection with the examination of the safety of reservoirs. Inspections of certain older reservoirs were conducted by an approved engineer and reports containing specific recommendations for safety measures received for con- sideration. Proposals for provision of water supplies to new towns at Sha Tin, Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan were amended in the light of revised programmes for development.

Buildings

The year started with uncertainty concerning fuel and cement supplies, and a substantial increase in the price of cement. The inflationary conditions both overseas and locally have persisted, but have been accompanied in Hong Kong by a marked contraction in demand for new construction in the public, and to a lesser degree in the private, sectors.

As a result, overall building costs have shown a slight but steady decrease after an initial increase in the early part of the year. Material costs generally have followed the same pattern and wages have remained steady, although output from the labour force has increased.

Unfortunately these conditions are not conducive to the investment necessary to bring about a greater degree of mechanisation or system building in Hong Kong. Therefore, if the demand for new construction were to increase, wage rates in the building industry would probably be forced upwards.

Despite initial difficulties in obtaining adequate supplies of cement at the begin- ning of the year, progress on construction of government buildings has in general been faster than expected, due to the comparatively dry summer and increased productivity. Maintenance works on buildings continued to expand and construction of buildings for the Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment progressed satisfactorily. Private architects, quantity surveyors and consultant en- gineers continued to assist in the public building programme but on a reduced scale, several projects having been curtailed.