(c)
Make provision for a second ferry.
This was recommended by the late Sir David Owen, but the cost of such a scheme including the cost of the new boats, would not be less than about $4,000,000. Had the rate of growth of traffic increased as predicted, a second ferry would have solved the problem for a further 15 years or so, but with the enormous growth of motor traffic that can be expected due to the development of the cheap car, so cheap that even China's middle classes will be able to afford to run them, the problem becomes much more difficult. There is also the certainty that congestion in the Harbour due to the natural increase in shipping and small craft, will make navigation across the harbour more difficult and it rests with Goverment to consider alternative methods of carrying not only the vehicular traffic but the increasingly large number of passengers vino, as Hong Kong grows, will congest the passenger ferry systems.
XVIII. A tunnel between Hong Kong and Kowloon would undoubtedly solve the C7O58- harbour traffic problem, not only for vehicles but for passengers, and would provide a safe passage for all day and night, irrespective of weather conditions. It would also provide protection for the cross-harbour water mains, power cables and the cables of the communication systems, and would eliminate the need for the Cable Reserve, which is a source of anxiety to the cable owners during storms.
XIX. An alternative to the tunnel scheme is to provide a high level bridge. There are objections to a bridge in the high cost of maintenance and to the fact thet during typhoons it could not be used with safety. A bridge would also alter completely the prospect of Hong Kong Harbour in that it would dominate all else. I believe both schemes should be carefully studied and complete estimates prepared at an early date to guide Goverment in its decision on this matter.
XX.
Meantime, I favour a bold policy with regard to the ferry services as imicated in para. VIII,
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