CO129-520-6 Railway development- Canton-Kowloon Railway 5-11-1929 - 5-11-1930 — Page 44

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angement. We anxiously request the Ministry to proceed with the original decision and make advance payment for us so that there will be no further delay on the delivery of these sleepers”,

I sent in on July 7th a petition to the

Ministry of Ra llways again for these sleepers enclosing

I further verified

your letter No. 6368 of June 26th.

your statement to the Ministry as follows:-

*After my inspection on the whole track, I found only BO-60% of the sleepers on the curved track are the se of in comparatively better condition, and 70-80% of sleeper on the straight track rot badly. To have train running on such a track with a speed of more than 30 miles an hour is extremly dangerous, and the speed restriction is very essential. Our Railway has purchased about 90,000 sleepers since 1921. If this figure is computed with the number of sleepers of the entire track, we have make a renewal of only 40% strong for the last ten years. Furthermore, Kamput Kruen, or apitong sleepers can last only for three or four years and cost us more than $4.00 Hongkong

· Ourrency per piece, whereas the New South Wales sleepers, although about £6.50 a piece, can last for 15-18 years. Such a great differencecan easily beseen if the endurance is counted".

As the need of new sleepers is so urgent,

I requested the Ministry to send a further order for 40,000

pieces from Bowden & Co., beside the other 20,000 Apitong

and 20,000 New South Wales than the Purchasing Commission

has ordered. I expect to have these new order delivered

from November, 1930 to April 1931. This Railway vill

remit continually on monthly instalment of $20,000 B16

money until the end of this year; and the instalment

increase to $30,000 from January, 1931 until the total

sum is paid. If the Ministry grants us this proposal,

I told them, we will be able to eliminate our present

speed restriction and our Railway will be in a first class

condition, then we can be sure of increasing our traffio

earnings.

Yours truly.

G. C. LIU.

Managing Director.