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Kowloon-Canton Railway Meeting No. 2.
Present:- His Excellency the Governor.
1. The Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
The Honourable the Director of Public Works.
The Chief Resident Engineer.
The question of a Ferry Service (in connection with the Railway) between Hongkong and Kowloon was discussed. Chief Resident Engineer was in favour of such a service as being very remunerative. Hons. the Colonial Secretary and the Director of Public Works were opposed on the grounds that
(a). Private competition would prove embarrassing to Government.
(b). The traffic would be enormous and Government must either provide adequate Steamers or refuse passengers who had come all the way to the Wharf.
(c). The passengers would come from several points (say Western part of Victoria, and near Murray Pier) and Government must therefore have at least two ferries to cater for Railway.
The second and third of these points are I think strong ones; my point of view is that if (as all assume) the Ferry Traffic is enormously increased by the Railway the profits (or a very large part of them) should rightly go to the Rail i.e. towards paying the interest on capital, the sinking fund, and the working expenses for which the Colony is responsible. If every source of profit is not availed of, the Rail will be a permanent burden on the Colony (or at least for many years). The profit should not go into the pockets of any private Firm.
All agree in this view and the Hons. the Colonial Secretary and the Director of Public Works propose (a) to put on tolls or (b) to license Railway Piers. I am not averse to either.
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Enclosure 1.