GENERAL SURVEY
THE year closed with a surplus of operating revenue over expenditure of $4,151,794.00, which is the highest since the year ending 31st March, 1951. The Profit and Loss Account also shows the highest profit for the same period at $2,249,443.11. Operating expenditure at $3,606,795.07 is the lowest since the year ending 31st March, 1950. These good results have not been accomplished without vigilance over expenditure by all sections of the Department. Economies have been made both in staff and running expenses.
2. Local passenger traffic continued to show an upward trend, with an increase over the previous year of 6.73% in the number of journeys. Non-local passenger traffic, however, declined markedly showing a decrease of 36.25% in the number of journeys and $604,218.05 in receipts. Travel to and from China is dependent on the immigration regulations enforced by the Hong Kong Immigration Office and restric- tions on travel by the Chinese Government: it therefore fluctuates from time to time.
3. The number of passengers carried on Ching Ming Festival Day, 5th April, 1958, in all 68,526 persons, was a record. This large number was only handled with great inconvenience and discomfort to the passengers due to the present shortage of rolling stock, which is inadequate for handling festival day crowds. In addition a considerable number of passengers had to be turned away. It is anticipated that this festival traffic will continue to rise in future years and the continuous heavy passenger traffic must force the addition of new rolling stock.
4. In the case of goods traffic, export tonnage remained approxi- mately the same as for the previous year; but the import tonnage increased by 20.21% with an increase of 7.63% in receipts.
5. A feature of traffic by rail has long been the importation of pigs and this year the number was 264,728 head, a record figure and 12,285 head more than last year. In the month of February 1958 this traffic dropped considerably due to limited exports of pigs from China; but normal traffic was resumed in March 1958.
6. The five diesel electric locomotives were fully employed in operating practically all traffic except when withdrawal for routine
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