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TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 435 OF 11 JUNE.
YOUR TELNO 387: MERCHANT SHIPPING REGISTRY.
1.
MUCH REGRET DELAY IN REPLY. DTI TELL US THAT NO IMMEDIATE CHANGES ARE CONTEMPLATED IN THE PROVISIONS OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT AFFECTING EITHER THE NATIONALITY REQUIREMENT OF EXAMINATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OR FOREIGN QUALIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE IN BRITISH SHIPS. EVEN IF ANY SUCH CHANGES WERE DECIDED UPON NOW AS A MATTER OF POLICY IT WOULD TAKE ANYTHING FROM 18 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS TO BRING THEM ABOUT.
2. WE UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT YOUR MERCHANT SHIPPING (ALIENS EMPLOYMENT) ORDINANCE NO LONGER PLACES MORE STRESS ON BRITISH NATIONALITY THAN UK LEGISLATION SINCE THE LATTER WAS AMENDED BY THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT 1967. THE BRITISH NATIONALITY REQUIREMENT NOW EXTENDS TO EVERY SHIP REGISTERED IN THE UK WHEN GOING TO SEA FROM A PLACE OUTSIDE THE UK''.
3. DTI ARE IN FULL AGREEMENT WITH THE CONCLUSION IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF MILBURN'S LETTER TO PAO OF 5 MAY,
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51 14 MAY 1971
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