6
legitimate rights of the Tramway Company, since it
would clearly not be to Government's interest that
either Company should cease to make a profit.
9. ? Reply requesting that the petitioner
be informed that the Secretary of State has received
and considered their petition but is not satisfied
that they have established a prima facie case for
believing that they are being subjected to unfair
or uneconomic competition from bus services in
Victoria, and he is not therefore prepared to
accede to the requests (1), (2) and (4) in
paragraph 102 of the petition. As regards (3) in
that paragraph, say it is understood that full
opportunity has been and will continue to be allowed
the Company to make representations regarding
proposed changes in routes, frequency of service
and fares of buses.
ME Costar
19/8/35
I see nothing in the Tramway
Ordinance to restrict the power of the
Government to authorize motor bus ser-
vices, whether they compete with the
Hong Kong Tramways or not. In these
circumstances the action of the govern-
ment must depend on what they regard
as the interests of the community as a
whole; and in view of the explanations
given by the 0.A.. I can see no ground
whatever for interfering with the
action of the government in the in-
terests of the shareholders in H.K.
Tramways. I should be inclined to reply
that the S. of S. has carefully considered