Hong Kong Island Old Events

Two horsemen took Jian Lewei out of the club and sent him to Tung Wah Hospital, where they could immediately tell his family that he was safe. It's great to be powerful. You can save your life if you offend someone. Even if you don't act decisively, if you wait a few minutes, you might get a call from the director of the operations department.

He Dingxian took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "Uncle Hui, look, there are no hard bones in the world. When hit with an iron rod, they are all soft bones."

Luo Wenhui nodded and said, "First of all, you have to hold an iron rod in your hand."

"yes."

"There must be a gun pointed at his head." He Dingxian said with a chuckle.

"Continue to talk about the Star Ferry." Luo Wenhui was very interested in acquiring the Star Ferry Company and said: "I have a total of 10% of the shares. It was the Star Ferry Company that was restarted after the war. Operate, buy when raising capital.”

"The shares are not large, but the annual income is considerable."

Before the war, the Star Ferry had grown to eleven diesel-engine ferries, which could carry more than 50,000 passengers a day. It was the main mode of transportation between Hong Kong and Kowloon before the cross-harbour tunnel connecting Hong Kong and Kowloon.

Unfortunately, during the Japanese occupation, the garrison directly confiscated the ships, eleven ferries were used for military purposes, and the ferry company was shut down.

Five of the ferries were destroyed in the war. At the beginning of its reopening, the Star Ferry Company only had six ferries left in operation, which gave other ferry companies opportunities. Chengdu Terminal Company and Yau Ma Tei Ferry Company took advantage of the situation.

Before the opening of the undersea tunnel on Hong Kong Island, the ferry company was a hard demand of the public. Tickets were sold out every day, which naturally made a lot of money.

The Kowloon City Ferry Pier where Ho Ting-yin, Ngan Hung and others often sit, firstly, the fare is cheap, and secondly, the ferry tickets are easy to buy. For example, the ferry tickets from the Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui to Central, can queue up to 100 meters long during holidays, and the Kowloon City Ferry Terminal The North Cape route is mainly long and time-consuming.

"Where there is water, there must be boats." He Dingxian thought very clearly and said while sipping the tea: "Hong Kong Island is surrounded by the sea and there are offshore islands around it. Of course, running a ferry company will make money."

"However, ferries are closely related to the lives of citizens. It is a livelihood industry on Hong Kong Island. It will definitely not be easy to win." The strength of Wharf Company cannot be underestimated. It is currently among the top ten leading companies on Hong Kong Island.

The business they are interested in is definitely not a small business.

And once a business is linked to people's livelihood, don't try to win it without political power. Because people's livelihood is within the scope of the Hong Kong Governor's administrative power and is an industry that the Hong Kong Government focuses on supervising. It is different from making movies and opening theaters.

In addition, Wharf has strong funds and many subsidiaries, so how can it easily give up the Star Ferry Company?

"I think it is possible to set up a ferry company to compete with Star Ferry first, and then find a way to merge or reorganize into a company." He Dingxian had a good idea. Luo Wenhui thought carefully for a moment and said: "It's not easy to handle."

"It is very simple to set up a ferry company. All types of companies on Hong Kong Island can be registered casually, but to operate a passenger ferry, the route needs to be approved."

For the two of them, it was easy to buy a boat, start a company, and repair a dock.

It's nothing more than a matter of money.

But it's okay to park the ferry at the pier, and it's okay for private use. Once it involves passenger use, the route will be pinched.

If the Hong Kong government does not approve the route, the ship will not be able to leave the pier.

The liberal policies pursued by Hong Kong Island are actually open on the surface. There are many barriers to all walks of life, such as taxi licenses, electricity, water power, ferries, buses, televisions, etc. Often these hugely profitable licenses are controlled by British companies. in hand.

Why are there only two or three companies on Hong Kong Island such as Star Ferry and Yau Ma Tei Ferry? Because if the Hong Kong government does not approve routes, other ferry companies cannot operate even if they are opened by other owners! Invisibly creating a capital monopoly!

There are four passenger ferry routes in Hong Kong's history. The first route is from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central, which was first awarded to the Kowloon Ferry Company, now the Star Ferry Company. The second route is from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai, which was first awarded to the "Four Star Ferry Company". "Yao Kai Fong Ferry Company", later "Si Yue Kai Fong Ferry Company" was acquired by "Yau Ma Tei Ferry", the route is operated by "Yau Ma Tei Ferry", the third route is from Kowloon City Ferry to North Point, from Kowloon City Ferry Operated by the terminal company.

The fourth item is that after the economic development and prosperity, it will be responsible for the routes to and from the outlying islands and strengthen the transportation between the outlying islands and Hong Kong Island. The route from Kowloon City to North Point was canceled due to the opening of the cross-harbour tunnel and the Tsim Sha Tsui Pier being able to meet demand.

Hong Kong Island has only maintained two ferry companies for most of the period, and in a few periods there have been three ferry companies coexisting.

"Then we can only choose one of the three ferry companies to acquire." He Dingxian ate shrimp dumplings and discussed: "Is there anyone among the three companies that can be acquired?"

"The operation of Yau Ma Tei Ferry is not in good condition. There may be opportunities to acquire it." Luo Wenhui actually knows the ferry company well. Hearing this, he said: "Although the Kowloon City Ferry Company has always had the lowest income among the three companies, it relies on its cheap fares. , the operating status is quite healthy.”

"Yau Ma Tei Ferry Company, however, faces direct competition from the Star Ferry Terminal due to its overlapping routes with the Star Ferry Pier. In terms of service and passenger capacity, it falls far behind the Star Ferry Company."

"It's hard to sell ferry tickets."

He Dingxian nodded: "I will first find a way to reach an acquisition agreement with Yau Ma Tei Ferry Company."

"good!"

Luo Wenhui smiled and said, "I'm waiting for your good news."

Don't underestimate the difficulty of acquiring Yau Ma Tei Ferry, because Star Ferry is actually the person who wants to acquire Yau Ma Tei Ferry Company the most. If the news of the acquisition gets out, Wharf Company will immediately come to grab it with a lot of money.

If the Star Ferry can take over the Yau Ma Tei Ferry, the route from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai will be equivalent to a semi-monopoly on the route from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island.

For the sake of cheaper fares, many people prefer to ride in Kowloon City to North Point and then take a bus into the city. However, there are also many people who buy tickets in Tsim Sha Tsui and go directly to Central!

After the Star Ferry acquires two routes, it can completely increase prices and make money out of every citizen's pocket.

Historically, in the 1960s, the Star Ferry had the largest number of ships and the best terminal facilities. After occupying half of the ferry market in Hong Kong and Kowloon, the price of the Star Ferry really increased! While the price of a second-class ticket remains unchanged at 1 cent, the price of a first-class ticket is increased from 2 cents to 25 cents, that is, 25 cents, an increase of five cents!

On the surface, the price increase this time is only five cents, but in terms of the passenger capacity of the Star Ferry, the increase is a huge sum, which affects the interests of all Hong Kong citizens. Ms. Ip Sien-en, a British member of the Council at the time and a social activist, collected a boycott letter signed by more than 20,000 citizens in just one month. However, all members of the Council's Price Committee, except Ms. Ip Sien-en, praised the adoption. .

This incident caused tens of thousands of citizens to take to the streets to demonstrate, triggering riots in Kowloon. Four hundred people were arrested, thirty people died, and Kowloon was placed under a curfew for three consecutive days.

It was called the "Star Ferry fare increase incident". At that time, the Star Ferry Company had not yet obtained the Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai route.

However, in the late 1990s, the unsustainable Yau Ma Tei Ferry Company announced its closure. The Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai route was sold to the Star Ferry Company, while the Islands route was sold to New World Group's Shark Tank.

"It's time for the Chinese to have their own ferry company." As for why we should adopt acquisition? If Chinese capital in Hong Kong wants to enter a specialized industry and do big business, the only way is to acquire, acquire, and keep acquiring!

Only by adopting the method of backdoor listing can we have the opportunity to enter industries that have been occupied by British capital in advance. In fact, the history of the rise of Chinese capital in Hong Kong Island is a process of continuous acquisition of British capital.

Not only is there no shame in acquisitions.

And it was once regarded as a medal of merit for Chinese-owned bosses! Apart from the acquisition of several British-owned companies and the lack of forcefulness in speeches at conferences, it is natural for Ho Dingxian to set his sights on the ferry industry after acquiring Swire Properties.

The Luo Wenjin family not only has political cooperation with him, but is also willing to start business cooperation, which is a good signal.

Mongkok.

Shanghai Street, Oriental Bank.

Lardboy was wearing a white shirt, holding a paper fan in his hand, cupping his hands and saying, "Brothers."

"In the future, I will continue to be responsible for the collection of fees for major associations."

On both sides of a long table, sat the chief inspector Lei Luo, the Sham Shui Po inspector Cai Zhaoguang, the new Tsim Sha Tsui East inspector Da Kei and other rent collectors, such as the Sham Shui Po rent collector Ma Fuqiang and the Tsim Sha Tsui East rent collector. Shower Zhang, Luo Ge's rent collector Zhupi and others.

These rent collectors formed a circle, often drank tea with each other, and had close personal relationships.

It is a small power group that relies on the protection of Chinese chiefs.

Everyone has some thin noodles.

Shower Zhang put down the tea cup and said with a smile, "Master Zai."

"We all know the rules."

"Do not worry."

More than a dozen rent collectors laughed non-stop, and the atmosphere was very relaxed: "I guarantee that every penny will be enough."

"yes."

"Master Zai."

"We didn't even dare to accept it from my younger brother Zeng, how dare we accept you?" My younger brother Zeng was also Gao Sir's rent collector.

Hearing this, Lardboy was greatly benefited from the words. He smiled brightly, clasped his fists and said, "Thank you all, thank you for your support."

"It's been a long time since I've been here to collect money, and my hands are a bit raw. I hope you can help me more."

Pigskin quickly raised his glass: "Definitely!"

"must!"

On both sides of the long table, rent collectors wearing shirts, T-shirts, slippers, or cloth shoes all raised their glasses.

Despite the fact that most of them are fat and have fat faces, they are responsible for the fees of the entire Hong Kong police force every month, which adds up to tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars. It can be called the largest financial company manager union in Hong Kong!

Lardboy stood at the head of the long table, lowering his head to drink tea, but there was a cunning look in his eyes.

"This time you will be screwed if you pay even one cent less, and you will be in trouble even if you pay obediently!"

After the big boss regains the banner of the police force, he will take over the police fees again, but it is far from being as simple as re-taking the accounts and collecting money from family to family, because times have changed!

Distribution has changed.

The money needs to be recalculated.

East Tsim Sha Tsui.

Seafood King food stall.

The head of the Triad Investigation Bureau, Mong Kok District, Huo Jiajun, wearing plain clothes, raised his glass and said: "Sir Qian!"

"congratulations!"

The entire food stall was surrounded by red plastic sheets, and the three wine tables were filled with people, all of them O-ji bosses from various police stations in Kowloon.

outside the door.

Four plainclothes police officers, holding cigarettes in their mouths, looked back and forth.

Acting Chief O of the Kowloon Region and trainee inspector Qian Weishan sat in the middle of the main table and stood up to propose a toast: "It's all thanks to Sir Ho's support. Let's have a drink first and wish Sir Ho good luck and promotion!"

"good!"

"First of all, sir!"

More than a dozen O-ji officers shouted loudly.

Some people are not present, but they are in everyone's mouth, like a slogan, a flag, and a high-sounding name!