24. By December, all available space on the Railway Reclamation, Kowloon, was occupied by cargo originally consigned to Shanghai but diverted to Hong Kong owing to the Sino-Japanese conflict. Areas totalling 518,190 square feet had been leased out to various firms and organizations for storage purposes, the rental aggregating $13,463 a month. Included in these plots was the space occupied by a permanent godown measuring 200 feet by 120 feet which was erected by Messrs. Marsman, Hong Kong, China, Limited, to warehouse goods which could not be stored in the open. In addition to the above, 22 Wagons-Lits cars were accommodated in three new sidings constructed at the cost of the International Wagons-Lits Company.
25. The activities of the Railway have been extended considerably by the connection to the Hankow line, and additional staff will be required early in 1938 to cope with the steadily increasing goods traffic.
26. The outlook for the coming year is obscure, due to the shadow cast by the hostilities in China. Considerable gains are expected under the revenue heads Through Goods Service, Incidental Revenue and Rents, while it is probable that there will be large decline in Through Passenger receipts. Expenditure will be affected to a marked degree by the phenomenal rise in the price of coal which is at present nearly double this year's contract rate. Financial prospects when peaceful conditions are resumed, are however, most encouraging; at no time in the history of the Railway has the future appeared more hopeful.
II. TRANSPORTATION
1.—Traffic
27. This short line of 22 miles has been influenced in the past by so many diverse factors, most of which are transitory, that "trends" have been difficult to determine and comparative statistics have had to be weighted before they could be used as guides to future policy. The year 1937 proved no exception to the rule; unexpected events followed each other in such kaleidoscopic fashion that deductions based on some of the working results would be of doubtful value.
28. Through traffic was suspended during the year for a total period of 17 days, of which the typhoon of September 2nd was responsible for 10 days, and air-raids on the Chinese Section for 7 days. Despite these setbacks, through passenger receipts advanced 7.79%. The improved receipts may be attributed to increased prosperity, a larger number of passengers being carried in the higher classes. Large gains during Ching Ming and the Coronation festivities were more than offset by the losses sustained through curtailment of service by typhoon and bombing.
$ 9
24. By December, all available space on
space on the Railway Reclamation, Kowloon, was occupied by cargo originally consigned to Shanghai but diverted to Hong Kong owing to the Sino-Japanese conflict. Areas totalling 518,190 square feet had been leased out to various firms and organizations for storage purposes, the rental aggregating $13,463 a month. Included in these plots was the space occupied by a permanent godown measuring 200 feet by 120 feet which was erected by Messrs. Marsman, Hong Kong, China, Limited, to warehouse goods which could not be stored in the open. In addition to the above, 22 Wagons-Lits cars were accommodated in three new sidings constructed at the cost of the International Wa agons-Lits Company.
25. The activities of the Railway have been extended considerably by the connection to the Hankow line, and additional staff will be required early in 1938 to cope with the steadily increasing goods traffic.
26. The outlook for the coming year is obscure, due to the shadow cast by the hostilities in China. Considerable gains are expected under the revenue heads Through Goods Service, Incidental Revenue and Rents, while it is probable that there will be large decline in Through Passenger receipts. Expenditure will be affected to
will be affected to a marked degree by the phenomenal rise in the price of coal which is at present nearly double this year's contract rate. Financial prospects when peaceful conditions are resumed, are however, most encourag- ing; at no time in the history of the Railway has the future. appeared more hopeful.
V
II. TRANSPORTATION.
1.—Traffic.
27. This short line of 22 miles has been influenced in the past by so many diverse factors, most of which are transitory, that "trends" have been difficult to determine and comparative statistics have had to be weighted before they could be used as guides to future policy. The year 1937 proved no exception to the rule; unexpected events followed each other in such kaleidoscopic fashion that deductions based on some of the working results would be of doubtful value.
28. Through traffic was suspended during the year for a total period of 17 days, of which the typhoon of September 2nd was responsible for 10 davs, and air-raids on the Chinese Section for 7 days. Despite these setbacks, through passenger receipts advanced 7.79%. The improved receipts may be attributed to increased prosperity, a larger number of passengers being carried in the higher classes. Large gains during Ching Ming and the Coronation festivities were more than offset by the losses sustained through curtailment of service by typhoon and bombing.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.