1909 Public Works Report

A copy of the original document is available online at HKGRO. (You may need to click the link twice to see the document.) Thanks to Herostratus for help providing the text below.

Excerpts:

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18. Military Lands

As the result of quarrying operations, Mount Cochrane is fast disappearing and the area occupied by the hill will become available for building purposes.

29. Improvements of Public Streets

The new public street, referred to in last year’s report, leading from Queen’s Road East to Praya East about midway between Arsenal and Ship Streets has been resumed by the Government and named Gresson Street. The buildings on the adjacent lots (Marine Lots Nos. 295 and 296 and Inland Lots Nos. 1,797 to 1,800) were nearing completion at the close of the year and the new street will be formed and opened to public traffic in due course.

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Work under the Buildings Ordinance

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37. Principal Works by Private Firms.—Messrs. Butterfield & Swire continued work on the sea-wall of their Shipyard at Quarry Bay and the erection of Quarters for their employees at Shaukiwan West. The latter were approaching completion.

The Standard Oil Company’s works at Lai Chi Kok were completed during the year. Some extensions however are still being made.

Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.’s new premises in Pedder Street were completed in September.

Work is still in progress on the reconstruction of the southern portion of the Hongkong Hotel.

Work on the extension of the Hongkong & Whampoa Dock Co's No. 1 Dock at Hunghom was carried on during the year but is not yet completed.

Several extensions of the Green Island Cement Co.’s works at Hok Un were made during the year.

Among other works which have been commenced or completed during the year the following may be mentioned :—

Works commenced.

14 Chinese houses on I.L. 796, Third Street.
Seamen's Institute on M.L. 295, Praya East.
4 Semi-European houses on M.L. 296, Praya East.
3 houses and godowns on I.L. 1.588, Whitfield.
6 European houses on K.I.L. 522 R.P. and K.I.L. 548 Sec. A., Nathan Road, Kowloon.
Hospital near Q.B.I.L. 7, Quarry Bay.
4 Chinese houses on K.I.L. 1,211, Shek Shan.
Swimming Bath at Murray Pier for Victoria Recreation Club.
Rope Factory extension on I.L. 906, Smithfield Street, Kennedy Town.
6 Chinese houses on S.I.L. 377, Shaukiwan.
4            „                        „    418,     ,,
Kwong Wah Hospital on K.I.L. 1,213, Dundas Street, Yaumati.
8 Chinese houses on N.K.I.L. 17, Sham Shui Po.
Extensions to the Italian Convent on I. L. 58 R.P., Caine Rd.

Works completed.

5    Chinese houses on K.I.L. 1,078, Mongkok.
6    European houses on K.I.L. 609, Nathan Road, Kowloon.
6 Chinese houses on Lot 1,568 S.D. II, Peng Shek, Ngau Chi Wan.
4    Chinese houses on K.M.L. 31, Sec. A, 70-74, Reclamation Street, Yaumati.
5    Chinese houses on K.M.L. 30, Secs. A and B. 78-86, Reclamation Street, Yaumati.
4 new European houses on I.L.’s 341, 342. Nos. 21-27; Shelley Street.
6    new Chinese houses on I.L. 1,780, Shaukiwan Road.
12 new Chinese houses on I.L.’s 1,798, 1,799. Nos. 62-84. Queen’s Road East.
New Plague Hospital on I.L. 1,793, Third Street.
4    new houses on K.I.L. 198, Nos. 157-163. Kramer Street, Taikoktsui.
Extension of St. Stephen’s College on I.L. 694.
5    blocks of hospital buildings for Tung Wah Hospital, New Street, on I.L.’s 835, 1,208, 1,209.
Terrace of houses on I.L. 1,300, Hill Road.
6 blocks comprising 32 houses on S.M.L.’s 5-10, Shaukiwan.

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39. Extension of old Stables to provide additional office accommodation required for the Public Works Department. 

This work - begun in 1908, was completed during the year
 
The extension consisted of an addition nf 38 feet. to the length of the building at its Western end and the raining of its walls so as to provide an additional storey, thus milking it 2 stories high throughout. ~ By these additions, six rooms. ranging in size from 28’ 0” x 15’ 6” to 21’ 0” x 15’ 6" were rendered available for the Public Works Department. four being used to accommodate the Engineering Staff, one for an Overseer's‘ Office and one for a Telephone Workshop and Store. Three rooms, one measuring 31’ 0" x 15’ 7” and the remaining two 14’ 10” x 15’ 1”, were devoted to messengers’ quarters and at small cement-testing room was also procured. A covered way was erected across Lower Albert Road to connect the new offices with the main block. Lavatory accommodation was provided in a small outbuilding and a trough closet supplied with water from Albany Nullah was installed in part of the old outhouses for the use of the messenger stall. 
 
The above extensions enabled the old Praya Reclamation Office and a matshed adjoining the  Government Offices which had been occupied as an overseer’s office for a number of years, to be dispensed with, both structures being pulled down. They also admitted of the conversion of a portion of the main block hitherto occupied as a store and a cement-testing room into an additional office
 
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75. Permanent Stairway to Ballroom, Government House

A contract  for the erection of this stairway was entered into with Mr.Chan A Tong on the 31st March and the work was completed

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at the end of October. lt consists of a stairway from the ballroom verandah affording direct access to the grounds. A wide stairway from the verandah descends to a landing and roof garden below which it branches into two flights of steps leading to ground level. A summer house is provided underneath the roof garden and stores underneath the flights of steps.
 
The work generally was constructed of brickwork in cement mortar, finished with plaster; the steps and landings being of granite.
 
The summer house and roof garden were paved with 4'” x 4" tiles, laid on cement concrete, a layer of asphalte being provided underneath the tiling of the roof garden
 
It was found necessary to pile the foundations

76. Additional Room at Queens College for Pupil Teachers

This work was completed. with the exception of some minor details and some extra work that was ordered towards the close of the year.
 
It consisted of the erection of a detached building at the South west angle of the main building with which it is connected by a covered way. It. contains one room, 30' 6” square. provided with verandahs. 7’ 6” wide, on two opposite sides, the Whole being constructed on pillars and arches so as to provide a space underneath, 11 feet in height, which is open all round and forms a small covered playground. A portion of one of the verandahs is enclosed to form an ante-room for the use of the master. The room is fitted up with desks, blackboard, electric-light fittings, &c. and a small raised gallery is constructed along one side.

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93. Causeway Bay Typhoon Refuge

Deepening shallow area to one foot below Ordnance Datum.— Reference was made in last year‘s report to the commencement of this work, which was undertaken in accordance with the recommendation of the Public Works Committee (vide minutes of meeting held on 4th January, 1908). The work was nearly completed, 90,000 cubic yards of material being removed during the year. A portion of this material, amounting to 34,000 cubic yards, was utilized in reclaiming an area of foreshore between Marine Lots 285 and Inland Lot 1.588, extending to 99,570 square feet in area. The reclamation is protected by a rubble mound faced with a pitched slope.

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