PUBLIC UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS
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8 p.m. and from Cheung Chau to 7.45 p.m. On Mondays and the days after public holidays it was found necessary to place larger ferries on the morning sailings to Hong Kong to accommodate the increased number of passengers, both holiday makers and Cheung Chau residents who commute daily to and from their places of business in Hong Kong. The Silver Mine Bay and Ping Chau services were also well patronized, especially during the summer months. On the Hong Kong, Kap Sui Mun, Castle Peak, Tung Chung and Tai O route, a Saturday excursion ferry was introduced in addition to the existing Sunday excursion ferry. This bene- fitted trippers who wish to do a day-tour of the monasteries on Lantao Island. The Tolo Harbour Service, inaugurated in March 1955 on a temporary basis, was further extended for another year, two additional stops at Tan Ka Wan and Sham Chung being introduced at the request of the inhabitants of districts served by this route. The number of passengers carried during the year was 55,109.
Last year mention was made of a Tsuen Wan - Tsing Yi-Hong Kong Ferry Service. Delay in reclamation work and negotiations in respect of the building of a seawall and a temporary pier, however, have prevented the Company from starting the ferry service during 1956, but it is hoped that it will be inaugurated early in 1957.
New construction during the year consisted of the launch- ing and completion of double-ended ferry vessels 'Man Foon' and 'Man Tai'. The dimensions are: length overall 117′3′′, breadth 30', depth 10'. These vessels are powered by Crossley Marine Diesel Engines. Their sisterships, the 'Man Wing' and 'Man Wah', have helped to carry part of the increased traffic during the past year. Two single-ended ferry vessels, the 'Man Tat' and 'Man Tien', were also completed and entered service in 1956.
Continuous maintenance and repair work is carried out at the Tai Kok Tsui Depot, where three slipways are continu- ally in use servicing the fleet, each ferry vessel being slipped