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寥寥

any interference with freedom of travel through

Hong Kong: An extreme example is the Japanese

occupation which brought travel to a standstill

and adversely affected the trade and ruined many

long-established hotel businesses in the Colony.

(g) With the re-occupation, trade was at its best

because of the revival of travel and the influx of

travellers, and many defunct hotel establishments

resumed business.

(h) The hotel trade continued to be good and brisk for

the year 1946 but descended to a more normal level

in the year 1947.

(1) In the current year however the many restrictions

in China hindering free travel and the free trans-

portation of goods has led to the gradual decline

of business in the last 10 months and a heavier

decline of business in expected by reason of the

travelling restrictions now applying in China,

whereby no Chinese may leave China without a

passport.

(j) Another risk attendant the hotel trade lies in that

where the trade is carried on in rented premises,

the hotel keeper has to make capital provision for

possible cessation of business by reason of the

landlord requiring and obtaining possession of the

premises. This risk is to-day minimised to a sub-

stantial extent by reason of the Landlord and Tenant

Ordinance but in spite of such legislation, instances

can be given, (thus, the St. Francis Hotel and the

Mei Chow Hotel) whereby the business had to be

discontinued because of dispossession by process of

law.

The consequence was that the very high capital

4.

Mi

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