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Section were in similar case. Division Sheets up to August 1946 were only accepted by the Chinese Section in March 1947, and unless this rate of progress can be improved the final settlement for half year as at 31st. December 1946, will In March 1947, not be possible until July or August 1947.
the Canton Office was checking the statement of accounts as between the two Sections for the month of July, 1946.
41. In November 1946, the Chinese Section asked for Traffic Earnings to be kept apart from debits and credits arising This was done from engine haulage and supply of stores etc.
through the medium of an Imprest Account which covers all such transactions outside Traffic Earnings. The Imprest Account has operated successfully and makes for clarity in the cash relations between the two Sections.
42.
The last full year of through running was 1938, but no comparison with that or later years would be of any practical value in view of post-war inflation in wages, cost of stores and operating expenses generally.
MECHANICAL WORKSHOPS.
43. On re-occupation in September 1945, it was found that nearly all the really serviceable pre-war mechanical equip- ment had been removed, leaving behind only those types of machines which in the opinion of the Japanese were probably too old or not worth-while removing.
44. Rolling stock found at Kowloon at this period consisted of one 4-6-4 tank wagon, one Canton-Hankow Railway 0-8-0 tender locomotive, 17 carriages both British and Chinese, and 82 wagons, British and Chinese. All the Chinese rolling stock has since been returned. There remains a considerable quantity, however, of British rolling stock on the Canton- Hankow Railway which has not yet been received. Early in 1946, the Canton-Hankow Railway returned to the British Section one 4-6-4 main line engine, one shunting locomotive, and the British Section 65-ton locomotive break-down crane. In addition, two UNRRA 2-8-2 locomotives out of a total of six which arrived in the Colony were specially assigned to the British Section by UNRRA for the purposes of moving UNRRA CNRRA supplies to Canton for the interior.
45. During the period under review major repairs have been carried out to two locomotives, 17 carriages and 6 wagons. The work of repair on our own wagons was held up due to track shortage and other facilities which were diverted for the assembly of 1261 UNRRA wagons and the putting into traffic of 65 UNRRA locomotives under our supervision for the Chinese Government Railways. The alternative would have been to congest the whole Railway area with knocked-down wagon material of no value as transport units.
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46. The manufacture of small parts and repairs to equipment have been carried out for the following organizations and Hong Kong Government Departments:-Chinese Ministry of Communications, Medical Department, Royal Observatory, Public Works Department, Urban Council, Police Department and Government Land Transport, as well as the Royal Air Force.
47. The work of restoration has necessarily had to be carried out to less desirable standards than heretofore largely due to the shortage of suitable timber and other materials, and as regards timber in particular, the situation will need careful watching as that used is liable to attack by white ants, making further repair work necessary within a comparatively short period. Nevertheless, a great deal has been done in making available rolling stock safe to use.
The various statistical tables are included at the end of the report.
48.
WAY AND STRUCTURES.
The Department has been fortunate in that no serious accident has occurred on the Main Line, in view of the fact that the Permanent Way is now 30 years old and no mainten- ance had taken place during the Japanese occupation period. This satisfactory state of affairs is mainly due to the vigilance of the Permanent Way Staff and the co-operation of the Traffic and Locomotive Departments.
49.
From the date of re-occupation practically no stock of spare serviceable Permanent Way materials was available, and owing to shortage in the local market materials were difficult to obtain. An Administration Circular was issued calling on all staff engaged in Traffic movements to be extremely careful because in the event of extensive damage resulting to the Permanent Way material might not be replaceable.
50. Rails in some sections of the main line have worn to more than 50% of the area of the head. No less than 17 cracked rails were replaced at various places between Sept. 1946 and March 1947. Thirty-five lengths of worn-rails on the outer- side of the curve at Mile 10 were interchanged with those on the inner-side on 24.12.46. This change was a somewhat desperate expedient to keep the line in reasonable running order until new rails could be secured.
51.
Up to the end of May 1946 many rotten sleepers in important places, such as rail joints and curves, had not been changed, because sleepers for renewal had not yet arrived.
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