S 3
15. The adverse effect of a suspension of the train service is felt long after its resumption. It has always been noticed that regular travellers, who have to find some other means of journeying to and from Canton, are slow in returning to the Railway and some weeks elapse before traffic can be considered normal again.
16. On August 7th and 8th an aviation meeting took place at Lok Lo Ha by a Chinese aviator. A most efficient service of special trains was instituted but unfortunately the meeting did not attract the Chinese public to the extent anticipated, largely due to the rather high charge for admission made by the aviator to third-class passengers.
17. In August a live fish traffic commenced between Shek Lung and Canton, and in order to deal with this two 30-ton wagons were fitted with special tanks.
18. All tracks have been maintained to a good standard though in a few places the sleepers are still being attacked by white ants despite constant attention. One rail was replaced at the 6th mile and another at the 14th on account of burring and scaling but both rails have been made use of in the new sidings for which they are quite well suited.
19. On the Fanling Branch Line no additional work has been carried out with the exception of a short dead-end siding at Fanling to enable longer trains to cross. Half a mile of 85 lb rails required for the extensions at Kowloon were removed and replaced by 35 lb rails.
20. The Expenditure chargeable to Construction Account to December 31st, 1914, was $14,095,660.69, and during the year further expenditure was incurred on works detailed in this Report amounting to $638,995.11, which, after deducting a sum of $22,829.97 being receipts on account of sales of plant, etc., leaves a total of $616,165.14 for the year.
21. The Revenue Statements of Earnings and Expenditure take the usual form. The receipts on account of local coaching traffic amounted to $114,360.34, an increase of $5,961.76 as compared with 1914, while the local goods and sundry traffic show decreases of $2,009.68 and $6,178.67 respectively. The Revenue from through and joint sectional coaching traffic was $21,304.16 less than the previous year mainly due to a fall in the number of through and joint sectional passengers carried as compared with 1914, which was an abnormal year owing to the depreciated Chinese Government notes being for some time accepted at face value by the Railway (Chinese Section).
22. The Working Expenses amount to $297,265.97 or $22,899.58 more than the previous year. The excess is due to the inclusion of expenditure incurred in repairs to manager's house, improvements at Sheung Shui station, and to a payment of rent to the