During the year a survey was made lof the Eastern District from the Hon; kew Creek eastwards to Muirhead Road with the object of removing. Portions of damaged buildings on road. frontages which were considered dangerous to pedestrians." Notices were served on registered owners, and demolition work was carried out by. this Department to 124 blocks of Dulldings, the cost of which was. charged to the owners.
Negotiations for the surrender of! any scheduled areas for road widen Ings were only opened where it was absolutely necessary inthe public interest. " Such negotiations involved 80 transactions covering 10291 mow which were acquired at a cost. of! $442,277.
In accordance with the decision of the Couneit to levy Municipal Land Tax on developed land, not registered a foreign Consulate, 832 separate properties having an area of G24 mow and a total assessed value of $19.404, GOI were placed under taxation, Although the opening of a new route by the foreed completion of the widening of Race Course Road has helped to relieve the congestion, the Improvement in the roads which the heavier "trate requires, has been greatly hindered throughout the year by dimeulties in obtaining supplies essential road-making materials. Nothing has been received from the Quarry, which in a. normal year supplies more than 90,000. tons broken stone, and certain Kinds of fof sand have been unobtainable, Ssu stitutes, have had to be be found and adapted (9 the different types of road work, Although this has prevented the mainienanee of the roads being kept to the usual standard, a new con-eve te foundation was laid along Ferey, 'Sinza, and Seymour Roads to carry the now trolley "bus route connecting the West end of Ferry Road with the French Concession. A similar foundation Was laid In' the fully, widened Race Course Road.
Most of the roads in the Northern and Enstorn Districts which had been obstructed or damaged during the hostilities were cleared of debris and made serviceable 'The number of squatters' huts inside the Settlement at the end of the year was 1,296, compared with 4241 At the outbreak' of hostilities, a reduce Von of over 70 por cent. The growth fof new huts due to the refugee population was Kept under control, no eas than 31,800 new huts being aemolished in the same period.
'The new industrial area West of the Soltlement boundary was found to contain 10222 squatters' huts, and in the "absence "of any elementary sanitary measures, the Depart. arent undertook regular cleansing throughout the area on June 10. Between that date and the end of the year 11,880 tons of garbage and 5,073 art-loads of ordure wore removed; the crooks Were Kept regularly cleansed, and 3.3 miles' of drainage ditches were dug: 84 deaths and 2026 corpses were reported to the Health Department; 128 order kongs were Cestroyed: 182 ordure pits were fubolished and $96 stagnant pools filled. in.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.