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It will be observed that the cost of transporting materials via a vehicular ferry is influenced considerably by the ferry fare. Should this be fixed at $1.00 per trip, the cost per ton would be reduced from $3.30 to $2.60 per ton.
The relative costs indicate that a vehicular ferry can not compete economically with the present method of cross-harbour transport for bulk cargo between godowns on the sea front.
There is considerable cross harbour transport of goods and materials in lots of less than 5 tons, these are principally for local consumption and include General Merchan- dise, Piece Goods, Provisions, Wines, Tobacco and Cigarettes, Dairy Products, Beef, Mutton, Poultry, Vegetables, Fruits, Fish, Household Furniture etc. The cost of trans- port on a number of the above articles is at an agreed rate per package, crate and/or basket; in such cases, it has been found difficult to compare the costs by present methods with the cost of transport via vehicular ferry.
In cases where actual figures for comparison were obtainable, these show that the cross harbour transport and handling of goods in small lots between premises adjacent to the harbour front is $2.00-$2.50 per ton, and when the premises are situated some distance from the harbour front, such as the Dairy Farm Co.'s stores, the cost may exceed $5.00 per ton.
Groceries, Provisions and General Merchandise for local consumption arrive by ocean steamer and are delivered into Godowns at Kowloon Point, a week's free storage being allowed by the Godown Co. A total amount of such goods in excess of 10 tons would appear to be transported across the harbour daily by various merchants in Hong Kong Some of the merchants are of the opinion that a vehicular ferry would be a great boon, affording them much better and more economical facilities for trans-harbour dis- tribution of goods, and enabling goods to be collected from the Godowns on the return trip, thus ensuring economy of transport with less risk of pilferage and/or damage to goods.
Little farm produce except vegetables-about 100 piculs per day-some pigs and cattle cross from the Kowloon side. Generally speaking, cattle, and pigs for slaughter purposes and the greater portion of market produce, i.e. fruit, chickens, etc., are im- ported by river or coaster steamer and disembarked on the Hong Kong side; the bulk of fish is also landed on this side of the harbour. A quantity of market produce and fish pass from Hong Kong to Markets in Kowloon, the amount cannot be definitely as- certained but is in excess of 25 tons per day, the present method of land transport is by coolie, water transport being effected by passenger ferrv, motor boat or other small craft. These commodities, except live stock, could be made up in satisfactory loads for vehicular transport. Whilst the greater portion of this traffic is one way, viz: from Hong Kong to Kowloon, it is probable that a transport company could undertake the transport at little additional expense over present methods, and thus relieve to a considerable ex- tent congestion on some portions of the harbour front and in the neighbourhood of the markets.
Regarding cattle and swine, the annual numbers transported across the harbour are approximately as follows:-
Cattle Swine
6,500 and 24,000.
It is considered that the vehicular ferry could deal with this traffic in the early morning and offer better facilities than exist at present.
Due to the lack of satisfactory accommodation in Hong Kong, coal yards are situated in Kowloon. At present, advantage is taken of the Praya East Reclamation for the storage of a small quantity of household coal brought from Kowloon. When the fa- cilities of the Reclamation are no longer available, unless a berth is provided on the Hong Kong side for the reception of coal from junks or lighters, the handling of this commo- dity will cause obstruction of the Praya frontage. An average amount of about 10 tons of coal is delivered daily to householders in Hong Kong. The cost of distribution of coal by present methods is less than via a vehicular ferry unless the ferry charges were negligible.