COPY.
2
579
Hosting held in the Office of the Director of Public Works to consider what arrangements should be made in the interests of the Telegraph and Telephone Companies, and the Military and Colonial Government lines, to protect their lines from damage, in connection with the proposed Electric Tramways:
Director of Public Works:
Present.
Mr. Von der Pfordten.
Mr. Gibson.
Mr. Stuart Harrison
Mr. Tooker
Gradrizki.
Major Mould, R.E.
Mr. Bickenson
Colonel Boyle.
Representing the Telegraph Companies.
Representing the Telephone Company.
Mr. Dickenson submitted a scheme which he is agreeable to having inserted in the proposed bill granting the concession for the Tramway. Mr. Von der Pfordten suggested certain slight alterations and additions and stated that his Principals in London and Copenhagen had been communicated with as to accepting the clause so amended as sufficiently guarding their interests. Mr. Bickenson was prepared to agree to the amendment and addition to the clause.
Mr. Dickenson proposed with reference to Telephones to follow the Board of Trade Regulations, but not to go beyond them or do anything not there laid down to protect the Telephone Companies, and further asserted that the Electric Tramway will not prejudicially affect the Telephones, the system of which here is defective.
The Board of Trade Regulations are dated 1897, and Mr. Gibson remarks that since then there has been much found out on the subject. Mr. Tooker considers the Regulations inapplicable to Hongkong.
Mr. Stuart Harrison is of opinion that the Electric Tramway Company should be obliged to adopt the "double trolley system" as used in Cincinnati and Rochester in America.
Mr. Tooker considers the Company should pay the cost of the construction of a metallic circuit to all Telephone lines throughout the Colony.
Major Mould, R.E., says that he considers the Military Authorities would be put to the expense of doubling their circuits all round if the Electric Tramways are constructed as proposed by Mr. Dickenson.
The fact seems to be that either the Telephone Companies or the Tramway must have a metallic return, the question is who is to be put to the expense.