Shanghai, Mar, 1. T chiefly of reports prepared by the various companies, together Public Utilities section of the S.M.C. annual report consists
with a review of their activities during 1940.
The outstanding feature of all these reports, of course, is the all round increase in charges for utility services, due to the decline in value of the local dollar, Both the transportation companies had larger traMe during the year. han in 1030, although. stilt unable operate In Hongkew. Certain im~ provements and additions have been made by these companies, The Shanghai Gas Company noted 0 17.88 per cent, increase over sales in 1999, While the electricity sales decreased by 22 per cent. The Shanghat Tele~ phone Company maintained its normal, or 1936 rates, for the greater Dart of 10, although later in the year it was forced to increase them {fo meet rising costs, 'The abnormal demand for this service, which began 1038, continued throughout the year, and dim culty was' encountered. in meeting the calls upon It. The Shanghai Waterworks Ca, pumped. 2.30 per cent. more water in 1940 than the previous year.
Extracts from: the various reports follow:—The China General Omnibus Ca., IAd, "Disturbed political conditions and the continued depreciation the value of the Chinese dollar rendered the operation of efficient services most dificult, In order to meet steadily rising costs, revised fares providing for an average increase of 45 per cent. were brought into effect. fon April 16, By the end of the year, Tunning costs and rapidly increasing, Jabour charges had again overtaken Foventie, and the company was once more obliged to increase fares by an average of 35 per cent."
Little Delay in Delivery The Shanghai Electric Construction Con Ltd. "Although the war in Europe might have been expected to ave delayed the export of materials "to the Far East, very little delay has, to date, been experienced and this respect the suppliers of our materials are to be commended. Con~ struction. of vehicles. consequently, continued as usual, Again this year, at the instigation of the Tramle Department of the S. MP. it was decided to organize a "Safety First Campaign," from November 18 1024 slong somewhat similar lines to the campaign in June of the previous year.... The inculcation of Safety First (principles constitutes a regular feature of the company's training Schedule for all trifle employees, and the Inquguration of "Safety First" week merely means an intensifeation these measures "me exchange value of the local dollar continued to decline during the first halt of 1040 and. in June, the company was compelled to revise ite fare charges in order to offset to some extent the continually mount-Ing Increase in operating costs.
The Shanghat Gas Ca, Ltd. "The domestic yas sales were 17.488 per cent, over the 1939 Ngure. The industrial gas sales were 12.01 per cent. fever the 1990 figure. Both these creases are due to an increase in the number of domestic and industrial consumers, The use of increased proportions of Indian coal and the rise of In cost of raw materials and increasing freight charges and operat-{ng expenses necessitated further creases in the price of gas during the year."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.