In Kinment 42.
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брове
6th Lee abri
yesterday.
نا
He said
Hong Kong Department
he here
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Bu & month
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B. u. fn
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telea wenage
6th Pas
D 12/2
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apperantan En.
8 January 1971
IXX 21/6 6 fund me Ith Good.
K
UL.
Sir H Norman-Walker KCMG OBE
Colonial Secretary
Hong Kong
(13)
Sieb
You will remember my letter to you of 14 October 1970, about Ar. Pao and the World-Wide Shipping Company.
When the Governor was in London before Christmas Mr. Royle mentioned this subject to him and the Governor confirmed that it as possible to rent exemption certificates to foreigners under the Kerchant Shipping (Aliens Employment) Ordinance.
cyle then passed this information on to r. Pao through his London office.
HT.
We have now had a reply saying that certificates of exemption #ranted by the Governor only provide for temporary exemption in cases of emergency. The letter goes on to say that "the number of British deck officers and marine engineers has been declining every year and even K shipowners are finding it increasingly more difficult to recruit ship personnel for ocean- going services." It also suggests "one of the prime considera- tions, when the original le islation was put into force, was to provide employment opportunities for British mariners" and that, if this is true, "then there is ample justification for a change of le 18lation to provide for a more flexible manning policy for long Kong registration".
Mr. Pao has told Mr. Royle that it would give the World-Wide Group considerable pride and a great deal of pleasure to be able to transfer their Liberian registered tonnage to Hong Kong registry if a more permanent arrangement could be worked out, and that many other Hong Kong shipowners would be likely to follow the lead of the World-wide Group. As you may know, the Group's tonnage is expected to reach the 9 million mark by 1974.
r. Pao has asked that his views may be passed on to the Governor because he "intends to seek an early meeting with the Hong Kong Government after his return to the Colony early in the new year".
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