ENG-1977 — Page 161

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HOUSING AND LAND

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private property and private rights. Provision also is contained in these ordinances for disagreement over compensation to be referred to the Lands Tribunal.

During the 1976–7 financial year, a total of $15 million was paid in compensation for land and buildings required for government projects in the urban areas, excluding urban renewal and environmental improvement acquisition work. About 46.5 hectares of private land also were acquired for the implementation of new town layouts and public works projects in the New Territories.

Survey

The Survey Branch of the Crown Lands and Survey Office provides a network of trigonometrical stations and bench marks upon which all land and engineering surveys are based, and for the mapping of Hong Kong and the delineation and physical marking of boundaries of lots.

The Photogrammetric Unit moved into full production following the completion of a training programme for operators. The unit continued to work in two shifts throughout the year and, in completing some 30 mapping projects, managed to keep abreast of its priority schedule. In anticipation of future demand, an order was placed for a fifth plotting machine.

Connection of the existing traverse system to the revalued trigonometrical stations continued, and a programme of levelling to connect bench marks and trigonometrical stations was completed.

The demand for boundary surveys continued and, in the urban areas, was mainly concerned with government projects and redevelopment of private lots. As expected, the demand increased significantly in all districts of the New Territories in line with rapid developments.

On the map production side, further progress was made in converting topographic series to metric specifications, and 15 sheets comprising the new metric 1:20,000 dual language series of topographic maps were completed. Revision and improvement in specification is the next task in this series, coupled with the production of a monotone 1:10,000 to replace the Imperial unit L882 series. Volume 1 - Hong Kong and Islands of the official guide book was well received and Volume 2 – Kowloon and the New Territories - was launched at the end of the year. Demand for the Countryside series remained at a high level, and all three sheets were revised and reprinted. The fourth sheet of the series, covering New Territories East, is programmed to start next year. The Official Guide Map remained the individual best-seller. Since its conception in 1972, 60,000 copies have been produced.

The production of basic maps at the S.I. Scale 1:1,000 continued during the year, but progress was disappointing mainly because of a shortage of cartographic staff. Production also was adversely affected by the non-availability of metric contours due to the heavy demand on the Photogrammetric Unit for plotting connected with urgent engineering and building projects. Revision of maps at the Imperial scales of 1:600 and 1:1,200 will be necessary for a number of years.

The Public Works Department Survey School provides training for both the survey and cartographic disciplines within the department as well as specialist courses for other departments. During the year, 134 officers attended various courses and de- partmental examinations were organised for 74 officers.