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courses and the examinations to which they relate to be
wholly or partly in Chinese so that language does not
become a bar to employment save where it is an essential
part of the job at sea. English would have to be an
area of compulsory study and proven competency.
Additional Points of Concern to HMG
(a)
Hong Kong ships: The definition of a British
ship is widely drawn in the MSA 1894. The
definition is to be redrawn in the proposed
new MSA on a slightly narrower basis which
would, nevertheless, include "bodies corporate
incorporated in the United Kingdom or a
Dependent Territory and having their principal
place of business in one of those territories"
-
i.e. a ship owned by a company incorporated
in Hong Kong or Gibraltar, or Bermuda would
remain a British ship whether registered in
Liverpool, London or Hong Kong. The more
restrictive ownership criteria for ships on
the new Hong Kong Register would conflict with
UK legislation extended to Hong Kong with
effect from the creation of the new Hong Kong
Register. This would necessitate suitable