CO129-519-6 Development of railways proposed by Chinese Government 7-9-1929 - 17-1-1930 — Page 36

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(@) The Customs statistics give the average daily number

of passengers between Hong Kong and Canton during 1928 as 5200,

while the statistics of the railway for the same year show that

only 1415 of them were carried by rail. The railway revenue

from these passengers was only $1796.20, out of a daily to tal

of $5000.

3.

Development of Road Feeders.

The utmost encouragement and support should be given to

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the construction of roads which would bring additional traffic

to the railway line. The Wai-Chong public highway (

is the most outstanding example of this. The East River is

not navigable in winter, and in other seasons it takes a day

and a half down stream from Wai chow to Canton and three days

up stream from Canton to Waiohow. By the use of motor trucks

between Waic how and Cheung-Muk-Tou station on the railway the

time could be shortened to four hours to Canton and three and

a half hours to Hong Kong. From investigation it is learned

that the traffic now carried by the river is about six hundred

passengers daily, besides goods, which would give an increase

in revenue of not less than one thousand dollars per day if it

could be brought to the railway. The distance between Waiohow

and Cheung-Muk- Tou is about seventeen miles, There is already

something like a road between these points but it is but poorly

paved and wooden boards are employed where there should be

modern bridges. The cost for improvement, including the

construction of two bridges, has been estimated at two hundred

and fifty thousand dollars. Funds can be raised among the

local inhabitants. If not for the lack of fully qualified

promoters, the undertaking would have been completed long ago,

as the people were willing to subscribe for the work.

Besides this highway, there are a number more which when

completed, will also increase the revenue of the railway, such

as the Pinghu-Tamsui, Tungkwoon-Sheklung, etc.

8.