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خیر
HONG KONG REGISTER
آن 15
We one due to meet at 5 pm today to discuss what notion should now be taken on Hong Kong's reply to the consultacies document which arrived on 7 June. The reply itself (copy attached) is disappointing. It says that if only the texas contained in cur consultative document are available it would be exceptional for Hong Kong shipowners to register their ships there.
It says thut our proposals on crew accommodation and safety equi mont involving the need to celor natters to this Department would be time-consuming and possibly impracticable, It goes on to propoče a very liboral rogina regarding officers' qualifications including the desus of Hong Kong certificutes at cecond nate and second engineer level to the holders of certificates other than those of traditional maxillae counteles who are bona fids Hong Bong residents; the consideration on a once for all basic of Losuing Hong Bong cortificabog at the higher levels 20 Taivanese who are employed by dong Long shipownern and have good records of service; and the introduction of an endorsement" examination conducted by the Director of Hurino for the holders of a wide range of foreign corti:ierben,
As prosented, the proposels in the nembreddun ery unacceptable but there are one or two more favourable signs which ea, I believe, be capitalised upon to make a packago which could voll be acceptable both hero end in Hong Kong. In the first place hur Pao was twice beard to say last week that he was now prepered to acquiesce in masters of ships on the Hong Kong registór boing British. One person thought he wontioned also first officers but this is not confirmed, Secondly, on appendix to the Hong Kong papor now lists the number of ships and their tonnage which night come on bo the Long Long Rogister if suitable conditions were agaced.
this shows that a total of 275 chips of 10.43 Cross3 tonnage are involved. It seema bo no that it would be manageable over a period of 3 years for us to second surveyors to the long Kong Government who could look at the qualifications of chief engineers, sacond mates and second engineers on these ships and ensure, on the basis of a memorandum of guidance spreed between our two Governments, that they woro of the standard expected of UK ships generally before accepting the R8 competent to men ships on the Hong Kong Legluter, diallar secondment arrangemonts coul1, 1 think, moet the criticism which liong Kong have made about our crow accommodation and audety equipment proposalu. Horaover, the duct that the number and tonunge of aligible shipa hayo now boon quentiflod doen now, I think, give us the opportunity to limit the potential size of the register in the early yesre to these particular dipowers. We could not hold this lins Indefinitely because of new firms being formed but at least I thini: we could postpeno say extension for a few years until our new discussione bave ppooseded further. And this would,