S 9-
# II. TRANSPORTATION.
## 1.-Traffic.
24. The year 1936 promised to be a profitable one from more than one aspect. Firstly, the rate of exchange had been controlled within reasonable limits, with the result that confidence in trading was restored and the purchasing power of the public increased. Secondly, negotiations, which had been opened up by the River Boats with the two Administrations of the Railway in December of the previous year with a view to fixing minimum fares for boat and rail passenger travel, bore fruit and revised fares at higher levels were introduced on February 7th. There were, however, two factors which precluded the attainment of a substantial increase in net revenue; the shortfall in local receipts caused by the closing of the Shum Chun Casino, and the reduction in earnings from Foreign Haulage.
25. The outstanding feature of the year has been the further growth of terminal through passenger traffic. Carryings both inward and outward show a marked increase over previous years, the figures being as follows:-
Terminal Passengers (Up)
(Down
Compared with the preceding year, the improvement in numbers is 10.48%, and in revenue $61,269.28 or 16.81%.
26. Representations were made to both Sections of the Railway by the Tung Kun Bus Company, who had secured a monopoly from the Kwangtung Provincial Government to operate a service between Tung Kun, a highly populated town on the Canton Delta, and Liu Po, if they would consider entering into an agreement to issue through tickets at reduced rates between these two places and Cheung Muk Tou the corresponding rail head. A visit of inspection was arranged on January 6th, and an agreement entered into on February 20th. A total of 39,758 passengers in both directions have been conveyed under this arrangement.
27. The combined Administrations considered that it would be desirable to encourage a bus-feeder service inland by inserting a stop in the express train schedule at Ping Wu Station, provided it could be accomplished without increasing the over-all time of the through journey. The stop was put into effect as from May 1st, and bookings to and from this station increased progressively.
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