CO129-555-1 Hong Kong Tramways Ltd.- petition 10-7-1935 - 4-10-1935 — Page 6

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legitimate rights of the Tramway Company, since it

would clearly not be to Government's interest that

either Company should cease to make a profit.

9. ? Reply requesting that the petitioner

be informed that the Secretary of State has received

and considered their petition but is not satisfied

that they have established a prima facie case for

believing that they are being subjected to unfair

or uneconomic competition from bus services in

Victoria, and he is not therefore prepared to

accede to the requests (1), (2) and (4) in

paragraph 102 of the petition. As regards (3) in

that paragraph, say it is understood that full

opportunity has been and will continue to be allowed

the Company to make representations regarding

proposed changes in routes, frequency of service

and fares of buses.

ME Costar

19/8/35

I see nothing in the Tramway

Ordinance to restrict the power of the

Government to authorize motor bus ser-

vices, whether they compete with the

Hong Kong Tramways or not. In these

circumstances the action of the govern-

ment must depend on what they regard

as the interests of the community as a

whole; and in view of the explanations

given by the 0.A.. I can see no ground

whatever for interfering with the

action of the government in the in-

terests of the shareholders in H.K.

Tramways. I should be inclined to reply

that the S. of S. has carefully considered