POFO 035/12
RR D O T
GR 275
-TRED
CYPHER/CAT A
FM BTC HONG KONG 121100Z
HKIND £129
UNCLASSIFIED
3
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
TO ROUTINE DO T (ESPD) TELNO ESBOT 32 OF 12 FEBRUARY
INFO D O T (CRE4) (FOR ASHWOOD).
FISHERIES RESEARCH VESSEL.
YOUR TEL ESBOT 575 OF 16 DECEMBER 1974.
WITH THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR'S BUDGET DUE TO BE PRESENTED
SHORTLY, I CONTACTED NICHOLS, DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, TO FIND OUT WHETHER THERE WAS ANY PROSPECT OF FUNDS
BEING INCLUDED IN THE ESTIMATES FOR A FISHERIES RESEARCH VESSEL.
IT NOW SEEMS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT FUNDS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE, BUT
LESS THAN THE POUNDS 1.5 MILLION QUOTED BY BROOKE MARINE.
2. POSITION HAS CHANGED CONSIDERABLY IN THAT THE CANADIANS, THROUGH THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA FISKERIES DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME, HAVE PRODUCED A PLAN OF A FISHERIES RESEARCH VESSEL
WHICH THEY BELIEVE WILL SUIT HONG KONG'S REQUIREMENTS. ACCORDING
TO NICHOLS, THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT WILL OFFER A 13 PERCENT FEDERAL GRANT TOWARDS THE COST AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH A CANADIAN YARD CAN
BUILD FOR POUNDS 1.0 MILLION WITH DELIVERY OF NINE MONTHS ONLY. PRICE INCLUDES ALL EQUIPMENT.
3. THERE IS STILL A BRITISH INTEREST IN THAT HOPPER OF THE WHITE FISH AUTHORITY FROM MANILA HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH NICHOLS AND HAS SUGGESTED THAT THE AUTHORITY SUPERVISE THE BUILDING OF A VESSEL IN HONG KONG OR IN BRITAIN, OR FIND A SUITABLE SECOND-HAND VESSEL FOR MODIFICATION.
4. 1 AM FORWARDING A COPY OF THE PLANS PREPARED BY THE CANADIANS BY BAG TOGETHER WITH EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS. HEARN OF THE WHITE FISH AUTHORITY ALREADY HAS THE NECESSARY DETAILS. YOU MAY LIKE TO APPROACH BROOKE MARINE (OR ANY OTHER YARDS) WHEN THE PLANS ARE AVAILABLE. TOTAL COST, INCLUDING EQUIPMENT, MUST NOT EXCEED POUNDS 1 MILLION AND MAXIMUM DELIVERY PERIOD WOULD BE A YEAR. NICHOLS SAYS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE NOT PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN CREDIT. THIS GIVES THE CANADIANS A CLEAR ADVANTAGE, MORE PARTICULARLY AS DELIVERY FROM CANADA WOULD BE SHORTER AND CHEAPER. BEFORE CONTACTING BROOKE MARINE, HOWEVER, I SUGGEST YOU DISCUSS WITH HEARN OF THE WHITE FISH AUTHORITY TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS HE IS MAKING.
KINNEAR
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