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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1976
HE GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THE FINANCIAL RESULTS OF THE CHANGES COMPARED WITH THE FORECASTS HE HAD MADE, AND INDEED THE WHOLE OF THE COMPANY'S FERRY OPERATIONS, WOULD BE MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
HE ALSO HAD EVERY CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT COST ACCOUNTANTS WHO WOULD EXAMINE WITH THE COMPANY SUCH MATTERS AS FLEET SIZE, ROUTES, FREQUENCY AND TIMING OF SERVICES AND SO ON TO SEE IF SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS COULD BE MADE.
EVEN SO IT MIGHT WELL BE THAT FURTHER FARE REVISIONS WOULD TURN OUT TO BE UNAVOIDABLE, AND HERE I WOULD SAY THIS,
CAN THERE BE ANY COMPANY, OR ANY WHOLESALER, RETAILER OR SUPPLIER OF SERVICES IN HONG KONG WHOSE PRICES HAVE RISEN LESS THAN THE FARES OF THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY OR INDEED VIRTUALLY ANY PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATOR IN HONG KONG OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS.+
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AS REGARDS DE-LUXE FARES, HE SAID THE COMPANY HAD INDICATED TO THE GOVERNMENT THAT FOR THE TIME BEING AT LEAST THEY WOULD RETAIN THE PRESENT $4 FARE ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, AND AN EVEN LOWER FARE DURING WEEKDAYS.
HE ASSURED MR. CHEONG-LEEN ON A POINT HE RAISED THAT SEATING ARRANGEMENTS ON ALL FERRIES, INCLUDING THE TOLD HARBOUR SERVICE HAD BEEN OR WERE BEING ADJUSTED TO FIT IN WITH ONE CLASS SERVICES.
ON THE SETTING UP OF A SUB-COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH WATERBORNE TRANSPORT MATTERS, MR. JONES POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS ALREADY AN UNOFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES ON THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES HIMSELF AND FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE OF THE COMMITTEE, HE COULD ALSO SAY THAT IT DEALT VERY FULLY AND COMPETENTLY WITH THESE MATTERS.
+ DOUBT VERY MUCH WHETHER A SUB-COMMITTEE DEALING SOLELY WITH THESE QUESTIONS WOULD ADD ANYTHING AT ALL TO THE TAC'S EFFECTIVENESS IN THIS AREA,+ HE SAID.
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