4. Inquiries were received from local firms regarding through bills of lading to the interior of China from South American countries. The inquiries were passed on to the People's Government of China but up to the end of the year no reply had been received.
In
5. A feature of traffic by rail has long been the importation of pigs, and last year the number was 160,000 head. October 1954, this traffic suddenly ceased and importations reaching the Colony came by sea from the West River districts, while it was reported that the pigs from Kwangtung and Hunan which normally came in by rail were diverted to the south-eastern coastal provinces. The total for the whole year therefore only amounted to 55,132 head, though the importation of cattle rose from 3,435 head last year to 15,399 head and 1,571 head of goats entered by rail for the first time.
6.
The year ended with the lowest nett operating revenue since 1946/47-a figure of 9 lakhs. This is not surprising in view of the inability for all practical purposes of trading with the Mainland. Trade is so hedged round with every sort of restriction that it is remarkable that any goods traffic passes at all. Yet there is reason to believe that given even a smail lightening of the present controls goods traffic would recover and a more evenly balanced volume would pass. Meanwhile, since these desiderata are beyond the control of the Administra- tion, it remains to keep a strict watch on all operating expenditure. Hopes of further savings lie in the use of diesel- electric locomotives due to be delivered in July 1955.
7.
TRAFFIC
Traffic earnings for the year under review were only 86.27% of those of the previous year:
Operating Receipts
1954/55
1953/54
Decrease
$4,432,493
$5,138,217
$705,724 or 13.73%
2