AnnualReport-1929 — Page 652

S 2

1928

1929

January

February March

April

29,337

77,102

46,052

81,305

50,271 90,294

65,866 102.904

May

48,669

28,128

June

41.439 58.708

July

51,628 56,852

August

49,595 60,853

September

50,138

63.456

October

59,723

64.769

November

56,141

62,615

December

69.669

18.396

7. The numbers of through passengers by express trains. despite the suspensions of through traffic for 37 days and their after-effects, showed increases of 21% from Kowloon and 23% from Canton, on the figures for the previous year. The increases in the number of through and joint sectional passengers were 21% from the British to the Chinese Section and 20% from The Chinese to the British.

8. With regard to the revenue derived from through pas- senger traffic, it should be pointed out that as all fares are the same in either direction, owing to the difference in Canton and Hong Kong currencies, the British Section's share of all receipts on down through passenger traffic is reduced by 20%.

9. Through and Joint Sectional goods traffic declined by 15% on the figures for 1928, although of the total revenue from this source, 80% emanated from the British Section and of the through goods traffic alone that from Kowloon was double that from Canton..

10. All express trains between Kowloon and Canton con- tinued to be hauled by British Section engines as previously. but unfortunately, owing to the track conditions on the Chinese Section, no acceleration in speed was permissible, and the jour- ney continued to take approximately four hours.

11. The negotiations for the purchase of three new special 4-6-0 tender type locomotives for the express trains, referred to in my last year's report, were successfully concluded between the Provincial Government of Kwangtung and the Hong Kong Government, and the engines are expected about the middle of 1930. With their arrival, and providing the track on the Chines Section is brought up to standard, it is hoped to reduce the time of the through journey considerably, and to attract heavier through passenger traffic.