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traffic that other vehicles should be allowed to come into partnership on equal terms. Such a large Royalty as 25% of the profits over the final 15 years of the franchise would never have been agreed. I may here mention that over the first 10 years of the Company's history such serious losses were incurred that in 1910 it was necessary to write off no less than 75% of the whole capital as lost and that it was then only after the year 1912 that the first dividend was paid.
11. Finally, to mention details. I see no reason whatever for the No. 1 (Happy Valley) route to proceed beyond the Yaumati Vehicular Ferry, but if 10- cent fares only are adhered to we are prepared to waive our objection to this.
Further, Route No. 7 (Aberdeen). There is no objection to this being extended from Eastern Street to the Vehicular Ferry provided the fare over the extension (which would compete with the trams) is 10 cents.
Routes Nos. 1 and 5 are the only others that concern us and I ask with all earnestness possible that Government should insist that on these two routes the minimum fare shall remain at the first class tram fare.
Your Excellency,
I now wish to make a special announcement as follows:-
If at the conclusion of this meeting there is still the slightest doubt in the minds of your Excellency and your Council as to the justice of our contentions regarding the proposals of the China Motor Bus Company I earnestly suggest you will favourably consider the following offer by my Company.
That provided no reduction in fares is permitted on routes where buses com- pete with tramcars, that all extensions now asked for by the China Motor Bus Company be granted at once and that the Ministry of Transport be immediately approached (through the Secretary of State) with a view to sending out on a brief visit to Hong Kong a suitable official of the Ministry of Transport for his advice on the question of 5-cent bus fares. All expenses in connection with this visit to be borne by the Tramway Company,
A. B. STEWART,
Chairman,
HONG KONG TRAMWAYS LIMITED.
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APPENDIX “P.”
HONG KONG TRAMWAYS, LIMITED.
Statement showing Miles run and Passengers carried for 13 Years 1922/1934.
Passengers Carried.
Year.
Miles Run.
1st Class.
2nd Class.
Total.
1922
1,793,962
5,893,224
14,617,734
20,510,958
1923
2,069,420
7,349,114
16,602,847
23,951,961
1924
2,395,058
9,077,343
20,180,252
29,257,595
1925
2,037,586
7,875,943
15,721,258
23,597,201
1926
2,336,215
8,156,121
16,666.089
24,822,210
1927
2,592,909
9,863.171
19,701,601
29,554,772
1928
2,844,022
10,019,368
20,890,290
30,909,658
*1929
2,898,069
7,078,419
20,210,335
27,288.754
1930
3,020,295
7,388,491
21,892,080
29,280,571
1931
3,167,074
8.583,868
24,848,752
33,432,620
1932
3,325,058
9,271,370
26,270,625
35,541,995
1933
3,427,070
9,021,913
25,941,018
34,962,931
1934
3,376,133
7,947,978
25,040,704
32,988,682
35,282,871
107,516,323
268,583,585
376,099,908
Total.
NOTE: First class passengers do not all pay 10 cents. Service men and children travel in the first class for 5 cents and monthly-ticket holders travel first class only.
-1929 was the first year of motor bus competition (first class only).
APPENDIX “Q.”
APPERTAINING TO PARAGRAPH No. 65 OF THE MEMORIAL.
Direct Effect of 2nd Class Bus Fares Introduced (upon Competitive Routes) on
1st April, 1935.
Your Petitioner's Traffic Figures for the Months of :-
28th March, 1935.
MARCH 1935-APRIL
DECREASE
Traffic Receipts
$ 149,309
1st Class
2nd Class
570,540 2,082,757
$ 123,013
483,030
26,296 17.6%
87,510
15.3%
1,687,450
395,307
19 %
Passengers
Total
2,653,297
2,170,480
482,817
18.2%
Normally, March and April are comparable months.
Upon a basis of the above your Petitioner's annual losses will be:-
5,793,800 Passengers and $315,552.00 in Revenue.
Such a revenue decline is equivalent to 37.3% of the Working Profit of 1934.
Should additional vehicles and increased services over the competitive routes
be allowed, this serious position will be progressively worsened.
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