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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
extension of that district eastward. While workshops and offices will be built within the aerodrome itself a demand for houses for the Europeans having business with the future air service will lead to the neighbouring hills being explored for residences. The road to Ma Yue Tong will facilitate the selection of sites presenting a landscape rivalling even the Peak itself.
The Council is still in ignorance of the recommendations of the Road Passenger Transport Committee. The present occasion is opportune for bringing into greater prominence an apparently forgotten statement by the Chairman of the Hongkong Tramways, Ltd., when presiding at the annual meeting of shareholders on 17th February. He said:
"The Government, in June last, sanctioned a further increase in fares which was put into force on July 1st, and although our receipts improved, the number of passengers suffered a considerable decline. It is clear that the economic limit to which Kowloon fares can be raised has now been reached. Although receipts per bus-mile improved by 3.21 cents the expenses per bus-mile increased by 7.64 cents, of which 5.30 cents represents the increased cost per bus-mile for petrol."
It is a pertinent question whether the possibility of the introduction of trolley buses for Kowloon has been explored for the more economical operation of the passenger transport service. If the question has been gone into by the Transport Committee, will the Government inform the Council what decision has been arrived at?
Recent letters appearing in the senior morning newspaper suggest the possibility of the introduction of midget taxis into Kowloon. As no rickshaws have been licensed to ply for hire in the Homuntin and Kowloon Tong areas, a cheap taxi service such as is contemplated is bound to reduce travelling expenses in the case of those residents whose slender purses do not permit of the luxury of the ownership of a motor car.
My honourable friend, the Senior Chinese Unofficial Member, whose oratorical fluency is such a feature of the annual debate on the Budget, has adequately commented on the change of Government policy which is about to initiate a system admitting of promotions of a limited number of members of the subordinate staff to a new section of the clerical and accounting staff. Since I first had the honour of a seat at this Council table I have consistently and persistently advocated the claims of the local men to promotions and to a just recognition of their merits.
I am firmly convinced that if recruitment of local men and women were to be the more liberal practice in the filling of posts which their ability entitles them to hold, the heavy burden of
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