ENG-1959 — Page 303

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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

and Government grant to organizations devoted to this work. This year the Committee distributed $175,000.

During the financial year ending 31st March 1959 (figures for 1957-8 are shown in brackets) 9,104 (8,522) ocean-going vessels of 28,200,126 (24,762,199) net tons, 2,795 (2,892) river steamers of 2,721,021 (2,574,326) net tons, and 38,162 (36,958) junks and launches of 2,991,328 (3,036,147) net tons entered and cleared the Port.

A total of 1,127,882 (1,405,406) passengers were embarked and disembarked; of these, 58,679 (67,949) were carried by ocean-going vessels, and 1,069,203 (1,337,457) by river steamers.

Weight tons of cargo discharged and loaded were as follows:

Ocean-going Vessels

Loaded

3,794,281 (3,575,876) 1,814,109 (1,504,721)

Discharged

12,553 (16,917)

16,416 (22,858)

Junks and Launches

1,387,273

(1,426,382)

155,443 (108,029)

River Steamers

KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY

Kowloon is the southern terminal of a railway system extending to Hankow, with connexions to North, East and South-West China. The British Section of the line, which is 22 miles long, is owned by the Hong Kong Government and is operated between Kowloon and Lo Wu on the southern bank of the Sham Chun River, which forms part of the Colony's frontier with China. Through services were formerly operated to Canton and to the North, but since October 1949, when the Chinese People's Government was estab- lished, through passenger services have been suspended. Passen- gers proceeding to and from China change trains at the frontier. Goods traffic in wagon-loads has been passing to and from China without off-loading at the frontier since 1950.

The total revenue for 1959 was $8,076,133. Operating expendi- ture was $3,860,707 leaving a net operating revenue of $4,215,426. The corresponding figures for the previous year were $7,552,218, $3,205,710 and $4,346,508 respectively. The net operating revenue for 1959 is, therefore, $131,082 less than last year. Capital expendi- ture was $681,606.

Passenger traffic increased by 684,342 compared with 1958, and goods traffic increased by 15,748.58 tons.