64. Under Maintenance of Way and Structures Main Line the expenditure amounted to $45,168.33 or $2,581.67 less than the estimate. Provision was made for more ballast than was needed, and in consequence $2,359.25 lapsed.
The estimate for Fanling Branch was $2,425.00, but only $1,918.34 was actually expended.
65. The Local passenger receipts amounted to $427,230.22 as against $332,268.31 for the previous year, and the goods receipts were $25,861.33 or $4,098.69 more than the previous year. The Through and Joint Sectional Traffic receipts were $82,291.91 as compared with $17,562.88 for the year 1925.
66. The Fanling Branch Line was closed on January 11th until the 3rd of May. The receipts were $8,244.86 or $3,739.78 less than the previous year.
67. The total Operating Expenses amounted to $639,787.80. The salaries of the Junior Clerical Staff were not provided for in the estimate of Working Expenses, but grouped with those of other Government Departments under the head of Junior Clerical Service.
The disbursements against the estimate of Working Expenses amounted to $495,377.72 and the salaries of the Junior Clerical Service $24,375.33. The portion of Special Expenditure chargeable to Revenue was $22,338.23.
Further items amounting to $18,152.16 are included in respect of services rendered and materials supplied by Government Departments; also payments by Railway during the year not provided for in the Railway Estimates but charged to Government votes.
68. The operating expenses exceeded the Revenue by $101,743.07.
69. Claims against the Chinese Section on account of suspension of Through and Joint Sectional Traffic, hire of Rolling Stock and demurrage at the end of the year 1925 amounted to $716,547.79.
During the year certain items were accepted by the Administration of the Chinese Section, and the accounts were adjusted accordingly. The claim in respect of the year calculated on the same basis has also been added, and the total at the end of the year was as follows:-
Suspension of Traffic (1923 to 1926)
Demurrage
Hire of Wagons
$866,872.46
56,212.00
39.51
Short Supply of Wagons
103.76
Carried forward,
$923,227.73