ENG-1977 — Page 205

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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

pleted. The refuse composting plant at Sha Tin and the pilot scheme for a high-density baling plant at Sai Tso Wan were being put in hand.

Port Works

On Hong Kong Island, a total of 760 metres of seawall to retain reclamations for cargo-handling activities at Chai Wan and for roads and boatyards at Aldrich Bay was completed. Construction work for a total of 1,840 metres of seawall and reclamation for various places continued at Aldrich Bay, Western district and Po Chong Wan, Aberdeen. A contract was let for the construction of 200 metres of seawall at Shek Pai Wan, Aberdeen, to retain a reclamation for roads and local open space. A start was made on the construction of a second passenger ferry pier at North Point.

In Kowloon, the construction of a new ferry pier and concourse at Sham Shui Po to replace and improve existing facilities at Pei Ho Street was nearing completion. The construction of the seawall foundation at Cheung Sha Wan was well advanced. A new passenger ferry pier at Hung Hom to replace and improve the existing ferry facilities was under construction. Two outfalls, forming part of the drainage development works in Kowloon Bay, were completed. A start was made on the construction of the last section of seawall at Kowloon Bay. Site investigation by geophysical survey and marine boring for the North-West Kowloon district sewage treatment and disposal scheme was under way.

In the New Territories, the extension of the Cheung Chau ferry pier was completed. Reclamation work continued in a small section of Rambler Channel typhoon shelter to provide land for cargo handling. A contract was let for the construction of 1,100 metres of seawall at Tai Po to retain a reclamation for the future industrial estate.

In the harbour, dredging was completed to reduce, to its original level, the sea bed at the mooring areas south of Stonecutters Island. At Cheung Chau, dredging work was carried out to the fairway leading to the ferry pier and the public pier.

Quarrying

With the continued improvement in construction activity, the demand for aggregates and sand further increased during 1977. A total of 7,150,000 cubic metres of crushed rock aggregates was produced in the two government and six private contract quarries and on development sites. Some 108,600 cubic metres of manufactured sand also was produced in one of the private quarries. In addition, a total of 922,200 cubic metres of marine dredged sand was sold through the government sand monopoly. Tenders were invited for a second contract to supply manufactured sand.

To meet the forecast higher demand in the coming years, tenders were invited inter- nationally for a contract to operate a large modern quarry on the mainland, and preparations were being made for another large quarry contract on one of the outlying islands. In the contract conditions for these quarries, much emphasis was placed on environmental considerations.

A contract was let for the construction of a new permanent sand monopoly depot to facilitate the sale of manufactured sand on the mainland.

The whole of the quarries section was absorbed into the new Geotechnical Control Office of the Public Works Department, and major expansion of the materials-testing laboratories was being planned with particular emphasis on soils and slope stability