1960-1962 — Page 7

7. His Excellency the Officer Administrating the Government, Mr. C. B. BURGESS, C.M.G., O.B.E. visited the Railway on 7th September, 1961.

8. King Mahendra and Queen Ratna of Nepal were conveyed by a Chinese special train from Kowloon to China on 28th September, 1961 and returned to Kowloon on 23rd October, 1961.

9. On 10th November, 1961 a special train was run to convey Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandra of Kent, from Kowloon to Fanling for her visit to the New Territories. Her Royal Highness drove the special train from Yau Ma Tei to Sha Tin.

TRAFFIC

10. Traffic earnings for the year under review amounted to $9,049,522 showing a very slight decrease of 0.13% below that of last year. The decrease was mainly due to the outbreak of Cholera in Hong Kong during the months of August, September and October 1961. Comparative figures are shown below:

1961-62

$9,049,522

1960-61

$9,061.543

Decrease

$12,021 or 0.13%

11. Passenger Traffic. Local passenger journeys increased by 5.33% while non-local journeys showed a drop of 21.71%.

12. On Ching Ming Festival Day, 5th April, 1961 and on Chung Yeung Festival Day, 18th October, 1961, 32 and 31 special trains respectively were run in addition to the normal service to facilitate passengers visiting the cemeteries at Wo Hop Shek and Sandy Ridge. On these two days, 76,650 and 48,366 passengers respectively excluding the season, monthly and scholar ticket holders were carried.

13. The figures for passenger traffic, showing number of journeys and revenue, appear in Appendix IV.

14. Goods Traffic. Goods traffic showed a slight drop compared with that of last year by 1,203 metric tons in weight and $16,020 in revenue, percentage decreases being 0.34 and 0.76 respectively. In spite of the decrease in goods tonnage the overall receipts on handling charges bettered that of last year by $144,736 or 18.29% as the result of higher offers to the Railway by the Coolie Contractors this year.

15. The principal commodities imported by rail into Hong Kong during the year under review are shown below:

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