1933

HONGKONG
973
The Hongkong Tramways, Limited, operate electric tramway services in
the City of Victoria, the total route length being lOj miles and extends along
practically the whole length of the Northern Waterfront of Hongkong, i.e.,
from Kennedy Town to, th« 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 KowlooA 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.
A cable tramway has since 1888 given access to the Peak and is worked
with great success, both financially and otherwise. The City terminus of this
interesting little line is at iSt. John’s Place. Powers were obtained in 1908
for the making; of another tramway to the Peak, starting from Battery Path
and proceeding up the Glenealy Ravine to a point close to the terminus of
the existing line, but owing to public opposition to two of the suggested
routes the scheme was abandoned, the alternative routes, on which some tun¬
nelling was necessary, proving too expensive. The construction of a line from
Wanohai to Mt. Caroline, giving access to new building sites on the higher
levels, has been promised for several years past by the Government but though
a sum of money was voted for the purpose by the Legislative Council in 1919
the projects has been shelved up to date on one pretext or another. A motor
bus service to Repulse Bay is maintained by the Hongkong Hotel. An auto¬
matic telephone exchange was erected early in 1930 and the change over took
place in May.
Institutions
There are several Clubs in the Colony. The principal are the Hongkong
Club on the Praya, the Club Lusitano in Ice House Street, the Phoenix Club
on the Praya, and Arperican, Dutch and Japanese Clubs. The Hongkong
Club is a handsome building replete with every modern comfort; a large
annexe was completed in 1902. The Peak Club is domiciled in a pretty build¬
ing at Plunkett Gap, and possesses tennis and croquet lawns on land adjoin¬
ing. There are also the United Services Recreation Club (Kowloon), the
Club de Recreio, the Craigengower Cricket Club, the Civil Service Cricket
Club, the Deutsche Club, the Filipino Club, the Indian Recreation
Club, the South China Athletic Association, the Chinese Athletic
Association, the Chinese Recreation Club, the Victoria Recreation
Club, the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club and the Hongkong Polo Club.
The Royal Hongkong Golf Club has four courses, Happy Valley and Deep
Water Bay (9 holes ea.ch) and Ranl-ing (two 18 holes courses, the “new” and
the “old”). There is a Hockey Club, a Chess, Club, and a Yacht Club. The
Club house of the recently inaugurated Hongkong Flying Club, was officially