Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 997

HONGKONG

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is a fine handsome building. A new Chinese Church, Church of Christ in China, was opened at the junction of Bonham Road and Caine Road in 1926. The Jewish Synagogue was erected in 1901, and is situated on the northern side of Robinson Road. It is a plain but roomy edifice with two squat towers surmounted by spirets. The entire cost of the Church was borne by Mr. (afterwards Sir) Jacob Sassoon. There are two Mahomedan Mosques, one in Shelley Street and the other at Kowloon, the latter being for the accommoda- tion of the men of the Indian Mahomedan regiments quartered on the penin- sula. A Sikh temple was, in 1902, erected near the Wanchai Road approach to the Happy Valley. There are also several Protestant mission chapels. A Christian Science Church was built on Macdonnell Road in 1911. St. Joseph's College, a school for boys managed by the Christian Brothers (Roman Catho- lic), occupies a large and handsome building on a prominent site below Mac- donnel Road. The Italian Convent, in Caine Road, educates a large number of girls, and brings up many orphans gratuitously. Other denominations likewise support charitable establishments, conspicuous among which are the Diocesan Home and Orphanage, the Baxter Vernacular School, the Victoria Female Home and Orphanage, &c. St. Paul's College, situated between Ped- der's Hill and Glenealy Ravine, was erected in 1850, and was originally found- ed for the purpose of giving a theological training to young Chinese and others intended for the ministry of the Anglican Church, but is now an ordinary school. A small chapel is attached.

The Protestant, Roman Catholic, Parsee, Jewish, and Mahomedan Ceme- teries occupy sites in Wong-nei Chung Valley and are kept in good order. The Protestant Cemetery is almost a rival to the Public Gardens, being char- mingly situated and admirably laid out with fountains, flower beds, and ornamental shrubs. The principal Chinese cemetery is on the slopes of Mount Davies, near the Pokfolum Road, and is injudiciously crowded and dismally bare, but it is a Confucian maxim that "places of burial should not be made to resemble pleasure-gardens."

The Hongkong Tramways, Limited, operate electric tramway services in the City of Victoria, the total route length being 10 miles and extends along practically the whole length of the Northern Waterfront of Hongkong, i.e., from Kennedy Town to the village of Shaukiwan as well as Happy Valley.

The first car ran through the City in 1904 amidst great excitement among the Chinese. The fares are at the flat rate of 10 cents first class and 5 cents second class.

The rolling stock consists of 86 double deck saloon top cars having a seating capacity of 62, the trucks are of either the Peckham or English Electric Company's manufacture of the most modern type with a wheel base of 8 ft. 6 in., the electrical equipment being the English Electric Company's through- out. The bodies were made at the Company's Works, Hongkong, and are of teak. They are exceedingly neat. Not only are they the only double-deck cars in Asia but are probably the most attractive.

The permanent way is of 3 ft. 6 in. gauge and consists of either B.S.S. No. 6 or Special Dwarf Section Tramrail on a concrete foundation with paving of granite setts or asphaltum. This Company also operates a bus service from the centre of the City to Happy Valley and Taikoo Dockyard. The buses for these services being 25 seaters by Messrs. Guy Motors, Limited.

The Kai Tack Motor Bus Co. (1926), Ltd., which is one of the three Bus Companies operating in Kowloon is also owned and operated by the Hong- kong Tramways, Limited, and regular bus services are run between Star Ferry (Kowloon) to Kowloon City as well as between Kowloon City and Yaumati. This fleet consists of 20 buses, the chassis by the firm of Messrs Dennis Bros., Guildford, the bodies being made at the Company's Works, Kowloon, and seat 20 passengers in the smaller and 30 passengers in the larger buses.