willingness with which they carried out their duties. A special word of praise is due to the older members. The railway suffered severely from loss of trained personnel during the war, only 40% of the present traffic staff being pre-war employees. They have therefore had to shoulder additional responsibilities caused by the continuous increase in traffic since the reoccupation, and at the same time assist in training and supervising new employees.
TRANSPORT.
20. Traffic revenue for the year amounting to $9,913,642 was once again a record for the railway being an increase of 37% over the previous
year.
21. The increase was due to the same reasons as in the previous year, namely, the partial blockade of the Pearl River and China coast by the Nationalists during the earlier part of the year, and difficulties experienced by shipping companies in their negotiations with the Chinese Government. In consequence, shipping activities were restricted, and the railway became for the time being the principal means of communication with Kwangtung and areas further north. Considerable quantities of goods which normally would have been carried direct to and from Chinese ports were diverted to the Colony, and many passengers who normally travelled by ship were conveyed by the railway.
22. As stated in last year's report, prior to 15th October 1949, all British Section local trains terminated at the frontier station of Shum Chun in Chinese Territory, and all through trains operating between the Colony and the interior at either Kowloon or Canton. Passengers holding through tickets were included in the statistical returns under the heading of Terminal or Sectional Through Traffic and passengers booked to Shum Chun, the border station, were accounted for as local passengers. From 15th October 1949, all British Section trains have terminated at Lowu, a former overnight locomotive depôt, in British Territory, and all bookings have been included in the figures for local passengers. It will therefore be realized that although the figures given in para. 23 of this report show there was no through traffic during the year, it is estimated that over 95% of passengers using Lowu Station were travelling to and from China.
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