CO129-589-11 Port of Hong Kong- Report on future control and development 18-7-1941 - 10-10-1944 — Page 135

-40-

137

(b)

(99)

required and could be provided without great

cost.

An extensive reclamation at Kai Tak solely for the air

services, with a small typhoon shelter primarily

for craft used in connection with those services.

This is a large proposal which would involve a cost of anything up to $12,000,000. I under- stand that the Government is expected to bear the whole cost of this scheme, and the point

naturally occurs as to whether it would not be

more economical to remove the Air Port to some

other place, say in the New Territories. Air

Ports cannot always be placed close to large

centres of population.

Railway development. As already mentioned, the

Railway undertaking has sufficient accommodation at the present time, but if and when things settle down in China, the question of more facilities for the Railway is bound to arise.

It has been suggested to me that the railway station is not in the best position and the plan attached shows an alter- native site. If additional wharf accommodation is to be provided

to the northward of the Hong Kong & Kowloon Wharf & Godown

Company, as previously suggested, then it might be that the needs

of the railway could be met without constructing any pier to the east of the Peninsula of Kowloon as proposed by Messrs. Coode &

Company, but a berth is shown on the plan attached. The railway should, however, be connected with any new pier on the west and

the necessary sidings provided, as also shown on the plan attached.

The reconstruction of the railway station might well

be left over for consideration at some future time.

(100)

Ferries.Under the policy suggested in paragraph 83, sub-section (j), the piers of the Hong Kong & Yaumati Ferry

Company would still be maintained by the Government, the ferry company paying a suitable annual sum for the privilege of running