1892 Public Works Department Annual Report

Copy of original available online at HKGRO. (You may need to click the link twice to see the document.)

[excerpts]

REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1892.

SIR, I have the honour to forward you a report on the works carried out by this Department during the past year. Owing to the amalgamation of the Surveyor General's and the Water and Drainage Departments early in the year, I propose to deal in this report with the whole of the Public Works previously in charge of these two departments.

[.......]

WORK UNDER THE BUILDING ORDINANCE.

89.         Two hundred, and twenty-two (222) buildings have been certified under Section 53 of Ordinance 15 of 1889.

90.         Permission has been given to erect 41 verandahs and 12 piers over Crown Land.

91.         Notices have been issued to remove or repair dangerous structures in 117 instances and to remove verandah enclosures in 3.

92.         Seven hundred and ninety-five (795) miscellaneous notices and permits for the erection of scaffolding, opening roads, &c., &c., have been issued.

93.         Forty-eight (48) permits have been issued for the erection and repair of monuments and enclosures in the Colonial Cemetery, the fees for which amount to $88.16.

[.......]

EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC WORKS.

95. Central Market—The difficulty experienced in getting the contractor for the construction of the foundations and walls of this building to the level of the plinth to complete his contract, delayed the entry of another contractor to complete the building until the middle of August last, though the tender of Messrs. CHAN A TONG & Co., Contract No. 13/1892, . for the completion of the building was accepted in May. Since August the work has proceeded rapidly and in a very satisfactory manner. The walls are now up to within about 4 feet of the level of the upper floor and the columns, 94 in number for supporting the floor, have been erected.

96. The whole of the ironwork for the upper floor has arrived, and the erection of the girders, &c., will be proceeded with very shortly. The work already done under the present contract includes the building of 1,000 cubic yards of brickwork and 8,000 cubic feet of dressed granite, in addition to the erection of the columns before mentioned.

97. The area of the site occupied by the market is 51,274 square feet and the floor-space on each floor is over 30,000 square feet.

98. The Gap Rock Lighthouse.—This work was practically completed by the 1st of April last on which date the light was first exhibited.

99. The steam tender Fame has been maintained in good order and since the completion of the Lighthouse has been used for conveying men and materials for the erection of additional quarters for the telegraph clerk now stationed at the Rock in connection with the signalling of vessels, and for the relief of the lightkeepers.

100. The Fame was handed over to the Harbour Department in September.

101. Reclamation in front of  Marine Lots 240 to 246 Kennedy Town.—This work has been carried out by this department on behalf of the owners of the above lots. During the past year 14,500 cubic yards of filling, 517 cubic yards of concrete have been deposited in this work and 4,200 cubic feet of masonry set. The work is now practically completed.

102. Training Albany Nullah and Branches.—This work was completed in June last. It has, however, been found advisable to extend the substantial masonry invert through the tunnel under the Albany service reservoir, and this extension is now in hand.

103. New Roads and Preparatory Work Kennedy Road Sites.—The MacDonnell Road has been completed as far as it is at present proposed to carry it, but before this road is much used it will be necessary to improve its approach from the Garden Road by extending the road for its full width to join the Garden Road, necessitating re-arranging and re-constructing the Gardeners' Cottages.

104. The re-arrangement and re-construction of the Gardeners' Cottages will not only make reasonable approach to the MacDonnell Road practicable but will place at the disposal of the Botanical and Afforestation Department sanitary buildings for the accommodation of its workmen and will effect a long-needed improvement in the much frequented neighbourhood of Garden Road.

105. Re-construction of Praya Bridge over Bowrington Canal.—This work was completed and opened for traffic in March last.

106. Cattle Depot Extension.—The extension of the Cattle Depot at Kennedy Town providing additional accommodation for 120 head of cattle was completed in June last. The total accommodation at this depot now being for 480 head. The work was carried out in a satisfactory manner by Mr. CHEUNG NAM.

107. A shed, 65 feet long by 20 feet wide, has also been erected for the storage of fodder.

108. Slaughter house, Pig and Sheep Depot.—The preparation of the site for these buildings was completed in June last. Plans and detail drawings for the buildings have been prepared and their erection will be commenced very shortly. A report on and detail plans of this work were forwarded to you on the 26th of June and adopted by the Sanitary Board on the 21st of July.

109. Slaughter House, Kowloon.—This building was completed in June last and meets a want long felt by the residents in British Kowloon.

110. Public Laundries.—The ten public laundries, which were in process of erection when I wrote my last annual report, have been completed and three are at present occupied at a rental of $15 each per month.

111. Civil Hospital Staff Quarters.—After considerable trouble with the contractor I am glad to be able to report this building was completed and occupied in June last.

112. Quarters for Superintendent of Botanical and Afforestation Department.—This building was completed in February last by Mr. YEE RING in a very satisfactory and expeditious manner. The old quarters, which had become beyond repair and practically uninhabitable, have been removed.

113. Vaccine Institute.—This establishment was completed in March last and handed over to the Medical Department.

114. Additions to Government house.—The installation of the Electric Light and internal decoration of this building have been completed during the past year. The electric lighting and decoration of the Ball room was finished early in the year, the remainder of the work was postponed till the summer.

115. Telegraph Cable to Gap Rock.—Providing telegraphic communication between the City of Victoria and the Gap Rock Lighthouse involved the construction of 5.25 statute miles of land line, and the laying of 29.80 nautical miles of cable.

116. The land line constructed of galvanized iron wire No. 7. B.W.G. commencing at the Post Office is carried on iron poles along Pedder Street, the Praya, Zetland Street and Albert Road to the High-Level Tramway, then across Crown land on the west of the Tramway to Bowen Road, along the Bowen and Stanley Roads to Little Hongkong, and hence across Crown land to the Eastern Extension Telegraph Cable House at Deep Water Bay.