COMMUNICATIONS
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provide for improvements in the system and conditions of recruit- ment. A Port Welfare Committee ministers to needs of crews of visiting ships, co-operating with religious and other organizations devoted to this work. This committee administers a recreational club in Kowloon which is very popular with ships' crews, partic- ularly the facilities provided for football matches. In 1963 $209,000 partly donated privately and partly by a Government subvention, was made available for port welfare purposes.
New ship construction, repair work, conversions and the thou- sand and one needs of vessels calling at the port during the year kept the dockyards busy and the services of Government marine surveyors and the surveyor representatives of Lloyds' Register of Shipping, Bureau Veritas and the American Bureau of Shipping were in constant demand. The Hong Kong Registry of Shipping lists over 512 vessels under the British flag totalling some 844,556 gross register tons, of which 159 ships are of over 500 tons gross.
The vast numbers of small craft which operate in the harbour create a special problem in density of water-borne traffic. There are 22,351 vessels of this category, of which over 6,000 are mechanized. Examinations are compulsory for local certificates of competency as master or engineer of all mechanized fishing vessels, launches or any other powered craft. These examinations, the standard of which is being continually raised, are an important factor in ensuring a continued high standard of handling and safety precautions in small vessels. As a result, there have been fewer accidents than might be expected considering the number of craft moving in the harbour and surrounding waters.
Locally moved cargoes are transported mainly by towed lighters or junks and a flourishing trade with Macau and adjacent Chinese ports exists. The principal imports from these places consisted of building materials, vegetables and fruits, sea products and food- stuffs while the chief exports were fertilizer and foodstuffs. Details of external trade cargo tonnage may be found in Appendix X. Internal trade in the Colony waters takes place between the harbour area and outlying districts. Sand for building purposes is the chief commodity carried inwards, while outward movement of bulk cargoes are mainly building materials, cotton bales, dangerous goods and foodstuffs to the outlying towns and villages.