CO129-475 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1922 [5-7] — Page 458

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Copy.

Enclosure.

411

Hon. Colonial Secretary,

The future scope for mechanically propelled

vehicles in this Colony can probably best be illustrated

by a short statement of the uses and limitations of those

already possessed by this Department. It is, however, necessary in the first instance to point out that, whilst the roads in the business portions of the City of Victoria and Kowloon are fairly level, the outer districts and the

rural roads within them of both places are extremely hilly.

2. The gradients of those roads available for motor traffic, generally speaking, do not exceed 1 in 16, but there are a few short lengths where it is much steeper, a short section of one main road being sa steep as 1 in 8,

3. The first car acquired by this Department was an Aveling and Porter Steam Lorry capable of taking a load of 4 tons up a gradient of 1 in 10. It has given, and continues to give, excellent service, but is found to be more suited for the continuous and heavy transport work in the centre of the City than for duty in the outer districts. The reasons for this are:-

(a). It is particularly suited for the continuous heavy

but regular work required in the City.

(b). Generally speaking, the outer districts do not necessitate at any one point such big bulks of material as this Lorry most efficiently deals

with.

(c). Owing to its weight, its continuous use on the

lighter built hilly roads of the outer districts would subject them to an unnecessarily severe

strain.

(d). The smoke muisance, which is not objected to in

the City Districts, would be a great muisance in the residential districts.

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