69
MEMORANDUM,
Hong Kong, 23rd September, 1946.
The Chairman,
Bule of the Road Committee,
Hong Kong.
Dear Sir,
We, the undersigned, members of your Committee are opposed to any change in the Rule of the Road.
So far as we are aware, Government has expressed no desire for a change nor have either the British or Chinese Chambers of Commerce or the Hong Kong Automobile Association or any other responsible body of citizens.
In our view this is not surprising. Had it not been for a recent ceremony in Kowloon celebrating what was described as "the opening of the new Canton-Kowloon Highway", this Committee would never have been convened.
Within the last month we have been able to secure translations of two articles in the "San Sang Wan Po", one dated August 20th and the other August 24th. These articles deal at some length with the deplorable condition of this highway.
The first article is headed:
"Heartbreaking condition of the Kowloon and Canton Highway. What a great show at the time of reopening traffic, startling people at home and abroad. Now look at the pitiable realities".
Let one short extract from the article speak for itself:
"Well, what is the condition of the 148 kilometres highway to-day that was declared open for traffic a month ago and had been rebuilt at the cost of so much international effort and so much material and money ?"
"In the first place, as far as engineering is concerned, the surface of the whole highway is ruinous due to shortage of gravel and granite at the bottom layers. In the vicinity of Bocca Tigris, the road surface is in the same plane with the marsh and is very muddy, with a dent at the interval of 5 paces and broken hole at the interval of 10. As most of the road foundations have collapsed, what remains is just sufficient for a vehicle to pass totteringly. Bridges are made of wood and are temporary expedients and in the case of the longer ones, they usually sway from one side to other with a crackling noise instilling a trembling sense to all passengers. The section between Po On and Tai Ping is about 46.8 kilometres in length and in many parts muddy to the depth of over one foot, so that motor cars often get stuck fast for days, greatly to the consternation of the car merchants".
"The stretch of road from Tai Ping to San Tong which measures 42.9 kilometres and which was greatly damaged during the war is still in a very bad condition notwithstanding having been repaired. In this locality, there are five gaps where motor launches are used for towing timber rafts to ferry
motor cars across.
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Surely now that the one plank in the platform of those who favoured a change in the rule of the road has been withdrawn, there is no further need for the matter to be discussed. But we will put on record some aspects of the case from the point of view of three public utility companies.
Clearly the two Motor-Bus Companies and the Tramway Company would be put to great expense and (more important) tremendous dislocation and frustration at a time when, with depleted staffs and lack of material they are endeavouring to overtake the years of arrears of maintenance and repairs to their rolling stock consequent upon the Japanese occupation and neglect.
Regarding the Bus Companies, the following is a copy of the letter from Mr. Ngan Shing Kwan, Managing Director of the China Motor Bus Co., Ltd. :—
"As you have been good enough to seek our views on the proposed change to the right-hand driving, we have to state that such change would entail a considerable outlay from the point of view of consequent changes that will have to be made to our vehicles, such as:
"Conversion of entrances with the attendant re-arrangement of seating accommodation, change of position of the steering wheel and re-adjustment of stopping signs.