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5. IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO YOU TO HAVE CERTAIN COMMENTS MADE BY.
VARIOUS UK INTERESTS DURING OUR CONTINUING CONSULTATIONS. RELEVANT
POINTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
(1) TONNAGE MIGHT BE ATTRACTED TO HONG KONG SEPARATE REGISTER FROM COMPANIES THE REAL CONTROL OF WHICH LAY OUTSIDE THE COLONY. THESE
WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND COULD ENGAGE IN POLITICALLY
UNDESIRABLE TRADING.
(11) THE CREATION OF A BLOCK OF TONNAGE UNDER THE RED ENSIGN BELIEVED, HOWEVER WRONGLY, TO HAVE LOWER STANDARDS, COULD HAVE REPERCUSSIONS FOR ALL BRITISH SHIPS. THE UNIONS MIGHT USE THE CHANGE
AS JUSTIFICATION FOR TREATMENT OF HONG KONG REGISTERED SHIPS AS
FLAG OF CONVENIENCE AND PRESS FOR ITF RATES OF PAY WHICH COULD
EXTEND TO ALL HONG KONG SEAMEN ON BRITISH SHIPS.
(111) A SEPARATE REGISTER WITH INCREASED TONNAGE COULD RESULT IN
A SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF HONG KONG RESIDENT SEAMEN.
(1V) INCREASED ATTRACTION OF HONG KONG REGISTER, UNLESS
EFFECTIVELY RESTRICTED TO HONG KONG RESIDENTS, COULD LEAD TO FLIGHT
OF WESTERN-OWNED SHIPS FROM OTHER REGISTERS AND INCREASED COMPETITION
FOR UK SHIPS WHICH MIGHT BE PREVENTED FROM TAKING ADVANTAGE. ON
OTHER HAND IF UK SHIPS PERMITTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE THIS MIGHT LEAD
TO FLIGHT FROM UK REGISTER.
6. THESE POINTS ARE DRAWN TO YOU ATTENTION FOR WHAT THEY ARE WORTH.
APPRECIATE THAT SOME OF THEM MAY BE SEEN BY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
AS ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR RATHER THAN AGAINST SEPARATE REGISTER BUT
COULD BE USEFUL TO YOU TO KNOW KIND OF VIEWS HELD IN SOME CIRCLES
IN UK.
7.
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ON HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS' REACTIONS TO YOUR PAPER. THE MINISTER IS ESPECIALLY ANXIOUS THAT THESE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH AS INDICATED
IN THE GOVERNOR'S TELEGRAM NO 467.
DOUGLAS HOME
FILES
HKIOD
MTD
1 WHITEHEAD
COFIES TO
MR LF STANDEN MARINE DIVN DTI MR GRW BRIGSTOCKE SHIPPING POLICY DIVN DTI
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