SECRET
BRIEF N.16.
VISIT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO HONG KONG: AUGUST,
AUGUST, 1966
THE APRIL KOWLOON RIOTS AND COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY
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The Kowloon riots, which took place between 5th and 10th April, 1966, arose as a result of organised demonstrations against
a proposed increase in certain 1st class ferry fares between
Hong Kong and Kowloon.
The Star Ferry Company
2.
In October, 1965 the Star Ferry Company, a private enterprise operating under a franchise granted by the Hong Kong Government,
Ferry fares had applied for approval of a general increase in fares. remained unchanged for 20 years but increasing traffic had enabled the Company to meet rising costs. An expected fall in profits was claimed to be due to the additional expenditure the Company would incur in the operation of a new (Hung Hom) Ferry which it had agreed to run
The application in answer to Government and public pressure. immediately aroused opposition among a wide section of the public. The reasons for this were not entirely clear although dissatisfaction with over-crowding on the public transport services in Hong Kong had been mounting for some time. Among those prominent in the campaign against the fare increases was Mrs. Elliott who in accordance with her normal practice organised a petition to the Governor.
3.
In December the Government decided to refer the Star Ferry
There Company's application to the Transport Advisory Committee.
was no statutory requirement to do so but doubtless the intertion was to obtain an independent judgement upon which the Government would then be able to make its own decision.
Transport Advisory Committee
4.
The Transport Advisory Committee, of which Mrs. Elliott was a member, issued its report in March, 1966. It recommended an increase of a (25%) for the 1st class single fare between Hong Kong and Kowloon, and of 11⁄2d for the return fare, together with some
No increase in 2 nd consequential adjustment in season ticket rates. class fares was recommended. The Committee also proposed the introduction, by agreement with the Ferry Company, of a scheme of profit control. Mrs. Elliott alone dissented from the Committee's findings, and in a memorandum recorded that her reasons for doing so
/were
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