47
that there would be no lowering of present British standards, were a Hong Kong Register to be inaugurated.
6. Mr Fletcher has undertaken to send his considered comments on the proposed brief end to the questionnaire shortly. However, you said you would like im ediate reaction to the questions posed in the questionnaire enclosed with Archer's letter (MS33/13/06) to Wilford of 9 August. These are as follows, with reference to the numbers in the questionnaire:
1(A) Yes.
(b)
흐흐흐
G
Yes Fletcher will check which grade
poses the greater problem.
(c)
The figures will be sent.
(d)
This is not reall relevant. The
2
3(a)
45
(b).
6(a)
di ficulty is that most "ritish certificated officers would not
remain in Hong Kong whilst waiting for a new ship.
Definitely at the Second Mate and Second Engineer level.
The immediate reaction was that these would probably be Taiwanese. It was realised that were there to be a Hong Kong Register, Taiwanese officers would have to be excluded for political reasons. Thus, if us it was felt possible, one of Mr Y K Pao's main
reasons for wanting a Hong Kong
Register was to enable him to employ Taiwanese, he would be thwarted.
Taiwanese.
Marine Department are checking.
Yes
M Pao does have ships registered in Hong Kong but which need to be checked as well as wheth r any have had dispensations granted.
There are in fact no Hong Kong subjects, but Mr Pao does recruit Hong Kong belongers who have trainod in Hong Kong.
2
16(1)