PRIORITY
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EN CLAIR AND BY BAG
FM F C O 28175ØZ
UNCLASSIFIED
E...
25 SE 973
інка
HKV 211.2
(HKK21/2) тор сору
TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 933 OF 20 SEPTEMBER 1973 INFO BTC HONG KONG INFO SAVING TOKYO.
REGISTER OF SHIPPING.
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FOLLOWING FOR ALEXANDER, MARINE DEPT, FROM STANDEN DTI. AS YOU KNOW, THE MINISTER FOR AEROSPACE AND SHIPPING AND THE GOVERNOR AGREED LAST WEEK THAT A SMALL DTI TEAM WOULD COME OUT
TO HONG KONG AS SOON AS MUTUALLY CONVENIENT TO STUDY IN DEPTH
CONDITIONS FOR A SEPARATE REGISTER OF SHIPPING AND IN PARTICULAR
TO CONDUCT A PILOT SURVEY OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVE
ALIEN DECK AND ENGINEER OFFICERS AND TO CONSIDER WHAT IS INVOLVED
IN ACCEPTANCE IN HONG KONG OF JAPANESE AND OTHER FOREIGN-MADE. EQUIPMENT. THIS TELEGRAM SEEKS YOUR HELP IN CLEARING UP SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE ARISEN HERE.
AS REGARDS THE TEAM ITSELF, WE EXPECT THIS TO CONSIST OF A REPRESENTATIVE OF EACH OF THE THREE DISCIPLINES, ENGINEER, NAUTICAL AND SHIP SURVEYORS, PLUS AN ADMINISTRATOR. IN VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY, WE ARE NOW DISPOSED TO SEND THREE SURVEYORS AT DEPUTY CHIEF LEVEL LED BY A DEPUTY ENGINEER SURVEYOR IN CHIEF. THE QUESTION OF EXPENSES WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE GOVERNOR AND IT WAS TENTATIVELY AGREED, SUBJECT I BELIEVE TO YOUR FINANCE COMMITTEE, THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SALARIES OF THE TEAM AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR
THEIR FARES AND EXPENSES. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN HAVE
THIS CONFIRMED AND ALSO LET ME KNOW WHAT RATE OF EXPENSES WILL BE
PAID AND WHAT ARRANGEMENTS MIGHT BE MADE FOR ACCOMMODATING THEM.
BECAUSE WE SHOULD LIKE THE TEAM TO REPORT BACK TO US BY ABOUT
MID-DECEMBER, IT WOULD BE AN ADVANTAGE TO HAVE THEM BEGIN WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. A VERY TENTATIVE DATE OF 19 OCTOBER FOR
THEIR ARRIVAL WAS DISCUSSED AS A POSSIBILITY WITH FLETCHER. THIS WOULD, HOWEVER, DEPEND VERY MUCH UPON THE ABILITY OF THE HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS TO ARRANGE TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION
A REASONABLE NUMBER OF MAVIGATING OFFICERS AND ENGINEER OFFICERS, WE CONSIDER THAT AT LEAST 25 OF EACH WOULD BE NECESSARY
TO PROVIDE A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE. THESE SHOULD BE AT BOTH FIRST OFFICER/CHIEF ENGINEER AND SECOND OFFICER/SECOND ENGINEER LEVELS,
COULD YOU PUT THIS IN HAND PLEASE AND LET US KNOW THE PROSPECTS?
/ DURING THE
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