ENG-1978 — Page 199

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Public Works and Utilities

雪味

KOH

PUBLIC works expenditure is invariably one of the government's largest financial com- mitments. It covers the formation and reclamation of land, the provision of roads, sewers and piers, the supply of water and the construction of public buildings.

For the 1978-9 financial year, approved expenditure on public capital works amounted to $1,608 million, almost one-sixth of total government expenditure. Of this sum $349 million is being spent on roads, $176 million on water supplies and $126 million on public housing constructed by the Public Works Department, in addition to that being spent by the Housing Authority.

Geotechnical Control

The Geotechnical Control Office was established in July, 1977, to investigate the stability of existing natural and man-made slopes in Hong Kong, and to ensure the safety of new slopes and buildings to be sited on slopes. By the end of 1978 the office had a professional staff of more than 50 people, with a similar number of supporting staff. Further expansion of the office is planned to meet the large volume of work associated with the construction of slopes in Hong Kong.

An extensive programme of geotechnical surveys and stability studies of existing slopes is well under way and will continue until an exhaustive study has been made of the whole territory. A long-term research project was initiated to study the properties of local soils to enable better design procedures to be developed. An important section of a technical manual giving guidance on good engineering practice in respect of the design, construction and maintenance of slopes was produced in draft form and cir- culated widely in Hong Kong.

Preventive works on 36 fill slopes in the urban areas were completed satisfactorily, and contracts were let at the start of the 1978–9 dry season for works on a further 22 fill slopes.

Buildings

The building boom which existed in 1977 escalated during 1978 and showed no sign of abating. Shortage of skilled labour remained a problem and appeared to be the main factor causing delays in many building projects. Wage rates continued to increase and rose by 12 per cent during the year, while the cost of building materials increased by seven per cent. The consolidated effect of these increases would appear to warrant an increase of about nine per cent in tender prices. However these rose by 18 per cent, probably because the continuing demand for new construction work reduces