1934-07-11 — Page 7

Th

THE CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1934,

ARCHITECT PREFERS CONVEYOR BELT CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING

FIRST LADY.

INTERVIEWED

ON EXTENSION

Mrs. Beatrice Thompson Lends Practical Aid-

MAKING GENERAL APPEAL

The first lady interviewed by the China Mail in regard to the

Peak Tram extension

was Mrs:

Beatrice Thompson, of the Ad- vertising & Publicity Bureau, Limited. and her hearty ap proval of the.project is in all probability indicative of that of the entire feminine community of the Colony,

In her usual gracious manner, Mrs. Thompson cordially respond.; ed to the request for an 'expres sion of opinion. Although not at present residing on The Peak- Mrs. Thompson formerly had her home at No. 32 Lugard Road, and later lived in the Peak Hotel-she | fully realisos from personal ex- perience the great inconvenience of the present position of the Lower Station, saying how she wished the extension might have been made years ago.

The sight that has held thousands of tourists spell-bound as they gaze on Hong Kong harbour from the Peak,

ד י

PROJECT 30 YEARS

30 YEARS BEHIND

VIADUCT SCHEME WHEN EXCHANGE

SIMPLE

DECLARED NOT SO EXPENSIVE

LEADING ENGINEER'S VIEWS

Mrs. Thompson indicated her, willingness to co-operate in this effort for civic improvement in a very practical way by consenting to display a notice, together with the petition leaflets for signatures, provided the authorities of the

One of the senior engineers, of, Star Ferry Company are agreeable, un one of the hoardings of the the Colony, who desires that his A.P.B. on the Kowloon wharf and name should not be mentioned, on the Hong Kong wharf of the

very kindly granted an interview Star Ferry.

MR. E. J. AINSLIE

WITH MILITARY

WAS POSSIBLE|

MR. BRAGA GOES · BACK 50 YEARS.

OTHER UNDERTAKINGS WITH SAME CLAIMS FOR FACILITIES

When invited to express his views the

Hon.

Me. J. P. Braga who is an unofficial

in which he stated that he did member of the Legislative Coun- not consider there would be very cil, unofficial

Justice of the

great difficulty in widening any Peace, a Director of many pro

&

minent firms,

he was one of the least compe

TIMES

Telephone Hoax? Tram Official Interviewed

Representative Of Morning Paper.

ANGLE TO PEAK $250,000 TOWARD

EXTENSION NOW

NEW

TRAM EXTENSION

OPINED IN HAND

ESCALATOR SCHEME NOT STOCKS AND SHARES

IMPRACTICABLE

PICCADILLY TUBE HAS BIGGER LIFT

THAN GARDEN ROAD

HANDBOOK

MR. RAYMOND RAISES MOST INTERESTING POINT

When seen by the China Mail at his office in Exchange Build-

MR. J. E. POTTER, of Messrs. Leigh and Orange, who drew the Ing the popular and genial fin-

plans of the viaduct scheme in the Sunday Herold, speaking ancier, Mr. E. M. Raymond, smit as an architect, told the China Mail yesterday that he found it ingly said that he was keenly in- very difficult to offer an opinion on the suggested escalator

scheme forwarded by Mr. Felix A. Joseph, well-known local land-terested in the proposal. to ex- owner, in yesterday's editions. He, however, drew attention to tend the Peak Tramway and the massive escalators now in use in the Piccadilly Tube Station, that he, like many others in the London, and said that the lift up to the Peak Tram lower ter-Colony, felt that the Company. minus would probably be far less than that in the London Tube might have made more vigorous

Mr. D. E. Clark, of the Peak Tramway, WAS also inclined not to draw conclusions before giving the scheme con- efforts to provide this extension, sideration from every angle. He considered that, as a technical when they bought over the matter, it was out of his province either to commend or condemn rights of the rival company, which had secured a grant for a Peak tram with a terminus at Considerable controversy has Mr. Fotter thought that the Queen's Road, near Ice House

He showed a copy of the "Hand

it.

been roused by Mr. Felix A. easy gradient would not effect the Street.

Joseph's suggestion in yester-

day's editions that an escalator, escalator, being of the opinion book of Stocks and Shares of the for simple conveyor should be used that this type of conveyor can be Principal Public Companies in from Queen's Road Central to built at almost any pitch.

Hong Kong," in which are listed the present Lower Peak Tram

He went further to suggest that stock, one half of which was paid 50,000 shares of Peak Tramway Station, in Garden Road. perhaps more preferable to HIN

The idea was forwarded because escalator would be an ordinary constanding that the remaining $5 up when issued, with the under- the escalator would obviate the veyor belt, running continuously. necessity of encroaching on This type of conveyor would be per share was to be paid upon the Military land, and would be can-cheaper to install and run, and completion of the tramway down siderably cheaper than the exten-would present no difficulties to Queen's Rond. slon of the Tramway.

such an easy grade. Mr. J. E. Potter thought, at a "It would, perhaps, be rather rough glance, that the difficulties laughable to stand on a moving would not be insurmountable, al-pathway being conveyed to though if it were to touch military tram, but it would be easier than land at all, the tram scheme, as walking," he concluded. originally suggested would be Better,

FINANCIAL VIEWPOINT

on

the

Mr. Raymond said he supe posed this would provide the first $250,000.00 of the sum required to make the exten- sion.

There was some doubt in Mr. Raymond's mind as to whether, or not, the increase in traffic would' (Continued From Previous Column) be sufficient to repay the Tramway. He also said that many Peak re- Company, although he agreed that aldents would probably discon-many thousands of Chinese, as tinue the use of the tram when the well as foreign residents and new road to Magazine Gap and tourists, would probably use the qther roada were opened for motor Peak tramp if it was more acces- [traffic, but that with the station at sible. Peak Tram in the futura would (Continued at foot of preceding

Column).

The trouble of getting from one means of conveyance to another is, of course, a problem, although of the bridges for the purpose of Director of the Hong Kong En- there is more truth than fiction in

and Managing It would seem that possibly not a serious one. Mr. E. J. Ainslie, senior member forming a loop line in place of gineering and Construction Com- the recent reports regarding hoax of Lane, Crawford Ltd., Hong Kong's oldest department store, and the one as now.in use. pany Ltd., said that he thought telephone calls in Hong Kong, if CORRESPONDENCE probably be assured. one of the most jovial and most He, however, naturally referred tent persons whom the China the statement published in the highly esteemed residents in the the Chine Mail to Messrs. Leigh Matt could approach for an ex-leading article of one of our morn when approached by the China Mail Orange, the official architects and pression of opinion in a contro- ing conteroperies' is correct, representative, saying that it was engineers of the Peak Tramway very such as the oldest establish-

[To the Editor, "China Mail".] - ed newspaper in the Far East is no reporter representing them lands obstacle and any engineering Sir-Postulate that the Military spoke with Mr. Clark, of the Peak difficulties can be successfully sur- Tramways Company, over the mounted, the problem seems to re- telephone, or otherwise, last Sun. solve itself into one of finance and day.

hence appears to be the concern of

What is the maximum capital

.Colony, WEA typically humorous!

most unusual for Hong Kong people Company, for any detailed inform- now featuring. to become so excited over a projectation in regard to constructional for civic improvement, especially, in the hot weather,

Mr. Ainslie expressed keen inter est and approval of the proposition and said that he was much amused by what had been published in other papers of the Colony, as well as by all that had appeared in the *Sunday Herald and the China Mail.

MR. J. A. TARRANT

matters.

le stated that from an en- gineering point of view the viaduct scheme is fairly simple

and he did not think the cont+ struction would be very ex- pensive.

He thought that nothing he could Bay could contribute any illuminat inse idea on the subject. "The mat-

The paper in question says that

ter of the line extension is one pri- The China Mail is authorised the Peak Tramways Company only. marily concerning Peak residents,"

sons most concerned in the project

he said. They were, he explained, by Mr. Clark to say that someone expenditure that the job will sus a highly placed section of the com- called him over the phone, about tain? That is to say, will the esti munity capable of exercising great three o'clock on Sunday afternoon, mated additional revenue per influence, and were really the per- and said they were enquiring on be annum, due to the extension, be An escalator was, in his opin- now being revived. "Whether Peak half of the newspaper in question, sufficient to meet (a) the higher ion, a possible solution of the pro-residents would be found willing to and naked: "What about this fall operating costs and (b) a reason blem, but he considered the oper- pay for the greater amenities mak-page in the Sunday Herald? Is cent. per annum on the additional able return-let us say, 7 or 8 per The Secretary of Messrs. A. 5.ation and upkeep costs for such ing for their greater convenience of that official?" To which Mr. outlay involved? If the answer is Watson & Co., Ltd., Mr. J. A. Tar-form of mechanism would com-residence at the Peak is entirely Clark replied, "Well, it has been "Yes" then one, would appear to be rant, when seen by the China Mail, are very unfavourably with an another question," he said.

prepared in consultation with our justified in regarding the extension was busily engaged in going over

elevated track, for which power In Mr. Braga's opinion the pro- Company; we know all about it the Peak Tramway to Queen's some urgent and important docu- for haulage of cars is already posal is one on which none are more

available.

capable of forming judgment than and approve of it." He was then Road, as a sound commercial pro-

position. the Directora of the Company, and asked, "What about the report their shareholders

L. C. F. Bellamy. provided, of that you are planning to build a course, sanction could be obtained new building on the site of the ESCALATOR SCHEME

ments in his office.. but he kindly paused long enough to express his hearty sympathy with this, scheme

:

for civic improvement in Hong anything more could be said than from the War Office for the scheme present Lower Station?" To which Kong, saying that he thought every had already been well said by to be carried out. one was agreed that it was most others whose interviews have ap-

"It would be dificult for the same the reply was, "That is only a To the Editor, "China Mail"]- desirable if it could in any way be peared in the China Mail and the

convincing arguments

to be pre tentative scheme, which has not SiA campaign such as the sented to-day in its favour, as was yet been approved by the Board, agitation for the badly needed the case, say, 30 years ago. Condi- it will now be held in abeyance Peak Tramway station, which is central locality for the Lower tions have been so entirely changed until the result of the present ef- attracting wide interest in your that the same force of argument fort is known.”.

valuable columns, must neces-

- accomplished. He felt that hardly Sunday Herald.

DON'T GET "ALL HOT AND BOTHERED" BECAUSE not strike the powers that be the newspaper did NOT in sarily call forward a great many

THE CLIMB UP, THE HILL TO

THE

PEAK. TRAM

makes it impossible for you to go to the Peak

for TIFFIN Come to

for the facilities which, it is hoped.

auggestions, many worthless but

might be secured for the Peak quire of the Company, before pa some worthy of consideration. In Tramway Co.

blishing the article, surely they the latter category I would class CHANGED CONDITIONS.. should have done so. If the above the scheme mooted by Mr. Felix "For example, no motor roads of conversation is accurate, the deA Joseph for an escalator. Apart any description existed when the duction is obvious.

{from being the most practicable qucation first exercised the minda

of the schemes so far put forward

of the Company's Directors and gentlemen on the Board of Direc(you will doubtless have many realdents at the Peak: To-day tors and of the form of General more) the escalator project would motor roads have been planned and Managers invests them with auff-certainly be the most economical built that are really a credit to the clent competence to make a correct and the most likely one to be ac engineers responsible for their de- decision.

cepted by the Governmental and

LANE CRAWFORD'S RESTAURANT sign and carrying out. The first PREVIOUS EFFORT RECALLED Military authorities. It has the

AND ENJOY THE IDEAL TIFFIN FOR HOT DAYS

Our Cold Tiffin-Only $1.00.

road has now been improved upon, There was a time when the solu- overwhelming advantage of being and others built since then have tion of the problem might have adaptable to a narrow strip of reduced very considerably the time been of greater advantage to the land and would not entail the re- to get up to, and come down from: Company and also to Peak residents moval of the present station. How- the Poak co

than the present, Mr. Braga re- evex, a ticket office at the foot of "The extra 1,000 feet of exten-ferred to the occasion shortly be the stairway would be essential alon which is sought to be laid fs fore the departure of Sir Murchi, in order that the advantages of admittedly an expensive one, and son Fletcher (then Mr. A. G. M. the innovation would not be whether it should be a paying Fletcher, Cia.G.), who was inde abused by Joy-riders: scheme, so far as shareholders of fatigable in his energies to secure As one directly affected, Inas- the Company were concerned, It is an exchange of Military lands in much as I am a regular patron of not for an outsider to buy. A de- the Colony

the tramway, I shall watch the cision can best be reached by those The exchange was at that time campaign with great interest, for in possession of statistics regarding within measurable distance of ac in these days of sound planning, the number of passangers carried complishment

And

as most old it in time that Hong Kong came

and the cost for operating the line, residents will remember, it involved into line to cater for the busy Mr. Braga Bald.if

the transference for the larger por businessman

On this point, Mr. Braga is fully tion of litary lands from the

aware that the experience of the

(Continsed on Page B)

Advocate

(Continued on Page 1)

Of Course,

OPINION IS UNANIMOUS

THAT THE PEAK TRAM EXTENSION

is most desirable

and

THAT WATSON'S FRUIT SQUASHES ARE MOST DELICIOUS

A. S. WATSON & CO., LTD.

Alexandra

Buildings

Telephone

20469

IF YOU MUST TOIL TO THE LOWER TRAM STATION.

FORGET THE CLIMB BY KEEPING

A GOOD SUPPLY OF

MARCHANT'S GOLD LABEL

to await you on arrival at the Peak.

JARDINE, MATHESON & CO., LTD.

Import

Department

Telephone

30311

MARCHANTS