LONDONE
Di
HOPES HIGH FOR HK SHIPPING REGISTER
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS LIKELY TO GRANT ITS
APPROVAL TO AN AMENDED AND MODIFIED HONGKONG SHIPPING RECISTER,
AN OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE SAID YESTERDAY.
THIS NEW SHIPPING REGISTER FOR THE COLONY HAS ALREADY BEEN DRAWN UP BY OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND HAS MET WITH THE APPROVAL OF BRITISH XRN TRANSPORT AND MERCHANT NAVY UNIONS WHO' EARLIER OBJECTED STRONGLY TO ITS ADOPTION IN HONGKONG.
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO INDICATION WHEN THE COLONY WOULD BE
ALLOWED TO ADOPT IT, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE SAID IT WOULD POSSIBLY BE IN ABOUT A MONTH'S TIME AFTER MINISTERIAL APPROVAL HAD BEEN
GRANTED.
2017
2 X EX
SHELVED
HOWEVER, AT THE MOMENT WITH RECENT DEVELOPMENT AND A GENERAL ELECTION LOOMING AHEAD, IT LOOKS AS IF THE QUESTION OF A SHIPPING REGISTER FOR HONGKONG WILL BE SHELVED TILL AFTER
AUTUMN
THE HONGKONG SHIPPING REGISTER WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED
BY THE TRADE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS WHEN THE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT
WAS IN POWER, MET WITH STRONG 09JECTIONS FROM SEAMEN'S UNIONS
WHO RASTEE RAISED SEVERAL MATTERS INCLUDING THE MASS EXODUS OF
SHIPS FROM THE BRITISH FLAG AND RECRUITMENT OF PERSONNEL.
THE LADOUR COVERNMENT WHEN IT CAME TO POWER HAD SECOND
THOUGHTS ABOUT ALLOWING ITS ADOPTION IN HONGKONG AND MR CLINTON DAVIES, UNDER SECRETARY (SHIPPKING) OF THE MINISTRY OF TRADE, PAD THE TASK OF MEETING UNION REPRESENTATIVES AND LOOKING INTO
THE WHOLE QUESTION.
NOW, AFTER NEARLY THREE MONTHS OF MEETING WITH UNION
REPRESENTATIVES AND LISTENING TO THEIR GRNECTIONS, OFFICIALS OF
THE DEPARTMENT HAVE UNATTED A NEW SHIPPING REGISTER AVOIDING AREAS THAT CAUSED THE OBJECTIONS AND HAVE PLACED IT BEFORE THE MINISTER
920
FOR APPROVAL.
UNQUOTE