Tramways Now Running 65 Per Cent. of Normal Services States Chairman in His Speech \HE Shanghai Tramways is now rum Shanghai, Apr. 27. g its services on a basis: of about 65 per cent. of normal, the chairman, Mr. H. Martin Little, reported at the annual meeting of the Shanghai Electric Construction Company, held at the head offices, Foochow Road. Mr, Little said that except for the tramways service to the North Station, it had not been possible to-arrange for any restoration of passenger operation in the areas north of the Soochow Creek.
In his speech, the chairman said:
When addressing you about year go, I indicated that there was then. ample evidence in our revenue ¥e-turns to justify the belief that Shanghai was emerging from the Dusiness depression through which It had been passing and 1 am now able to state that, so far as you. business is concerned, this encour. ing feature became more and more LFonounced until August last when, regret to say, all earlier hopes of 8 good year had to be abandon na consequent upon the outbreak, of Sino-Japanese hostilities and the complete disorganization in. businers generally which followed that unfortunate event.
For the four days immediately following the commencement of hos-Ailities, It was necessary to suspend Our entire tram and trolley bus services, but after that short period of complete cessation, our vehicles! made their re-appearance in the ureas south of the Soochow Creek and our Services have since been' slowly and. steadily augmented in these areas, whenever and wherever compared with our loss in nett earnings. The formulation of a claim is fat present receiving attention.
Evacuees Cared For About 1,100 persons comprising seme of our Chinese employees who, with their dependents, were forced to Jevacuate their homes in the troubled tareas, were accommodated In our Bubbling Well depot in the early stages of hostilities, but as soon as the! situation began to ease, many of these refugees were able to make their own arrangements for housing with the result that the number has steadily decreased and at this date is in the region of 250, Towards the end of the year, when shortage of rice was threatened, arrangements were made by the company for a supply for the convenience of its employees. Part of this stock has been sold to employees and the balance is being held for the time! being against any future emergency.
Having. dealt' fully with the [dominating event of the year, T would inow turn to matters of a more routine AE Tess exciting character, Except for our service to the North Railway Station, it has not been pos sible to arrange for any restoration of passenger operation in the areas north of the Soochow Cree)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.