HONG KONG
ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT
BY THE
QUARTERING AUTHORITY
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR 1959-60
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY W. F. C. JENNER, GOVERNMENT PRINTER
AT THE GOvernment PRESS, JAVA ROAD, HONG KONG
EXCHANGE RATES
When dollars are quoted in this Report, they are, unless otherwise stated, Hong Kong dollars. The official rate for conversion to pound sterling is HK$16=£1 (HK$1=1s. 3d.). The Official rate for conversion to U.S. dollars is HK$5.714=US$1 (based on £1=US$2.80).
CONTENTS
REQUISITIONING
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
ACCOMMODATION (Residential) FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS :
Non-Departmental Quarters
Hotels
Hostels
Departmental Quarters
Private Tenancies
STAFF
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Paragraphs
1
2-3
4 - 8
9 - 10
11 12
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13 - 15
16 17
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18 - 20
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TABLES
Table
I. List of non-departmental quarters according to grades as on 31st
March, 1960.
II. Analysis of the total number of non-departmental quarters held on 31st March, 1960, showing the approximate location, number, and size of Government owned or leased quarters available at any level in the Service, together with the estimated number of officers by grades eligible to apply for them, and of those eligible to retain them whilst on leave.
III. Number of departmental quarters by grades held by various
departments on 31st March, 1960.
GRAPHS
Graph
I. Number of officers in hotels from 31st March, 1955 to 31st
March, 1960.
II. Number of officers in private tenancies from 31st March, 1955 to
31st March, 1960.
TRAINING DEFAKIMETODE E
REQUISITIONING
REQUISITIONED property falls into the following categories:
(A) PROPERTY REQUISITIONED FOR GOVERNMENT'S USE
At the end of the previous financial year, thirty one units were held under requisition. During the year under review fourteen units in Gloucester Building which formerly housed the Public Relations Office, six units at 1-3 Perth Street, Kowloon, formerly used to accommodate the staff of La Salle College, and one unit in St. George's Building, formerly used to accommodate the Waterworks Office of the Public Works Department, were de-requisitioned. This left a total of ten units held under requisition on 31st March, 1960.
(B) PROPERTY REQUISITIONED FOR THE ARMED SERVICES
At the end of the last financial year, records held in this office showed that a total of 98 Units (lands and buildings) were held under requisi- tion, divided between the services as follows:
Premises Land
...
Royal Navy
Army R.A.F.
Total
34
34
62
2
64
96
2
98
It was discovered subsequently, however, that one unit of land held under requisition for the Army had previously been surrendered to the Crown but not reported, and also that one unit, again held under requisition for the Army, had been recorded as being of buildings, when it was in fact of land. The true total of units held under requisition on 31st March, 1959, was therefore 97 divided between the services as follows:
Premises Land
...
Royal Navy
Army R.A.F. Total
33
33
62
2
64
95
2
97
During the year under review, thirteen units of premises and three of land were de-requisitioned for the Army, leaving a total of 81 units
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་་་་་
held under requisition on 31st March, 1960. These units were divided between the services as follows:
Premises .. Land
Royal Navy
Army
R.A.F.
Total
20
20
59
2
61
79
2
81
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
2. Early in the year under review, the new West Wing of the Central Government Offices became available for occupation. Part or all of the Inland Revenue, Treasury, Urban Services, Registrar General, Audit, and Government Information Services departments were installed there- in, and premises previously leased or requisitioned by Government to house these departments in Gloucester Building, Prince's Building, Windsor House, and Macdonnell House, were handed back to the owners. The building also provides accommodation for a dental clinic, a post office and a canteen.
3. There was, however, during the year still a considerable demand from various departments for additional office accommodation to allow for expansion, as well as some movement by departments into alterna- tive accommodation. Details are as follows:
(a) Labour Department
The 2nd and 3rd floors of Rediffusion House were leased as office accommodation for this department.
(b) Medical and Health Department
One flat at No. 2 Tai Hang Road, and three flats Nos. 302, 303, and 304 Tower Court, Hysan Avenue were leased for use as office accommodation by this department.
On completion of the new Tai O Dispensary building, leased premises on Lot 674-713 in D.D. 313, previously used as such, were handed back to the owners.
(c) New Territories Administration
Part of the 4th floor of Shaw's Building, Kowloon, was leased for use as office accommodation.
(d) Police Department
Part of the 1st floor of Rediffusion House was leased for use as office accommodation.
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(e) Public Works Department
The War Memorial Fund Office and the Hong Kong Housing Society vacated accommodation on the 1st floor of the Old Roads Office Building, in favour of new premises at No. 6 Duddell Street, and Edinburgh House respectively. The space left vacant in the Old Roads Office Building was allocated to the Public Works Department for use as office accommodation. An area of 125 sq. ft. in the basement of Buckingham Building, Nathan Road, Kowloon, was leased for use as storage space by this department.
(f) Radio Hong Kong
An area of 42 sq. ft. on the ground floor of Mercury House was leased for this department. The space was required for the erection of a reception desk.
(g) Registration of Persons
This department vacated hutted accommodation at North Point, in favour of newly leased premises on the ground and first floor of Golden Court, Lau Sin Street.
(h) Secretariat for Chinese Affairs
Part of the mezzanine floor of Printing House, No. 6 Duddell Street was leased as office accommodation for this department.
ACCOMMODATION (RESIDENTIAL FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS
NON-DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS
4. In the Annual Report by this department for the financial year 1958/59, the number of non-departmental quarters available on 31st March, 1959, was said to have been 494. It was discovered subsequently however that this figure included five 'E' grade quarters at Nga Tsin Wai Road, which although demolished early in 1958, had not been deleted from our records at that time. The true total of non-depart- mental quarters available on 31st March, 1959, was, therefore, 489.
5. During the year under review fourteen quarters were acquired and eleven were lost, resulting in a net gain over the year of three non- departmental quarters. The total number of quarters available on 31st
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March, 1960 was therefore 492. Details of the quarters acquired or lost