COMMUNICATIONS
235
During the financial year ending 31st March 1958 (figures for 1956-7 are shown in brackets) 8,522 (7,650) ocean-going vessels of 24,762,199 (21,981,848) net tons, 2,892 (2,289) river steamers of 2,574,326 (2,291,376) net tons, and 36,958 (31,101) junks and launches of 3,036,147 (2,565,654) net tons entered and cleared the Port.
A total of 1,405,406 (1,301,227) passengers were embarked and disembarked; of these, 67,949 (59,688) were carried by ocean- going vessels, and 1,337,457 (1,241,539) by river steamers.
Weight tons of cargo discharged and loaded were as follows: Discharged
Loaded
Ocean-going vessels .. 3,575,876 (3,571,332) 1,504,721 (1,751,092)
River Steamers ...
Junks and Launches
16,917
(14,383)
1,426,382
(1,103,679)
22,858
108,029 (118,283)
(19,942)
KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY
Kowloon is the southern terminal of a railway system extending to Hankow, with connexions to North, East and South-West China. The British Section of the line, which is 22 miles long, is owned by the Hong Kong Government and is operated between Kowloon and Lo Wu on the southern bank of the Sham Chun River, which forms part of the Colony's frontier with China. Through services were formerly operated to Canton and to the North, but since October 1949, when the present Chinese Govern- ment was established, through passenger services have been suspended. Passengers proceeding to and from China change trains at the frontier. Goods traffic in wagon-loads has been passing to and from China without off-loading at the frontier since 1950.
The total revenue for 1958 was $7,552,218. Operating expendi- ture was $3,205,710, leaving a net operating revenue of $4,346,508. The corresponding figures for the previous year were $8,427,347, $4,309,314 and $4,118,033 respectively. The net operating revenue for 1958 is, therefore, $228,475 more than last year. Capital expenditure was $729,497.
Passenger traffic decreased by 321,824 compared with 1957, and goods traffic increased by 34,159 tons.
Passengers carried within the territory of Hong Kong were 4,663,112 or 87.84% of the total. Passengers to and from the
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