On 20th June, 1930, the Director of Kee Kwan Bus Company wrote to the Governor of Macao asking for permission to drive their buses over the border into China at 5 o’clock (in the morning), rather than waiting until the usual 6 o’clock.
The Civil Administration Department forwarded the request to the military authorities on the same day and the stamp of the Military Headquarters can be seen on the top right hand corner. Acting Governor João Pereira de Magalhães authorized the request on 1st July 1930.
The beautiful embossed design in the top centre of the page shows that the applicant paid a duty of 19 avos for his application, 7 avos of which were to cover the cost of the paper.
Today, the Kee Kwan Motor Bus Company still plies its route over the border separating Macao from Guangdong Province.
An English translation of the full text of the request can be read below this image.
His Excellency
The Governor of the Province of
Macao
In my capacity as the Director of the Kee Kwan Motor Bus Company, I, Mr. Chan-chi-seong(鄭芷湘), adult, married, wish to state the following:
The Government of the Colony has always sought to assist this company to overcome the thousand and one difficulties that any company in its early stages must perforce endure. Thus, I take the liberty of approaching Your Excellency once again, confident of your response.
The Kee Kwan buses park every day in a garage near Russian Mountain, some leaving each morning for the steamboat ferry terminal, while others go to China.
Now the road has been extended almost as far as the terminal, and therefore the travelling distance is significantly longer than it had been until recently.
Due to the orders of the command in control of the Portas do Cerco, vehicles can only pass through at 6 o’clock and so our buses cannot reach the terminal in time to pick
up passengers from far-off places to bring them to Macao.
Therefore, I would request Your Excellency to allow the Kee Kwan buses to leave the Barrier Gates at 5 o’clock in the summer months and at 6 o’clock in the winter months, maintaining the current schedule for their return [to Macao].
Confident in the good will that Your Excellency has always shown in assisting the company I represent, I hope that this request will be authorized,
[signed by the applicant]