THE HARBOUR MASTER,
HoNG KONG.
Sir,
124
GOVERNMENT MARINE SURVEY OFFICE,
HONG KONG, 26th July, 1927.
Hong Kong Passenger Certificates.
I beg to submit for your consideration the following preliminary report in regard to passenger certificates issued by the Hong Kong Government, and the conditions under which they will be recognised by the Home Government as being equivalent to, and having the same significance as, similar certificates issued by the Board of Trade.
As the direct outcome of negotiations between the Colonial Office and the Board of Trade. I have been sent to the Colony to examine the Marine Survey Regulations and their ministration, with particular reference to foreign-going passenger ships, and to advise you as to what changes in the survey arrangements and practice seem necessary with a view to obtaining the desired recognition of the Hong Kong passenger certificates.
In the first place, the Board of Trade have to be satisfied that the Regulations under which the Hong Kong certificates are issued compare favorably, as regards their effective- ness, with those in force in the United Kingdom.
I find that, so far as the surveys of foreign-going ships are concerned, the Board of Trade requirements are observed generally. It should be observed that the Board of Trade will shortly issue revised Instructions as to the Survey of Passenger Steamships and, provided the Hong Kong Government adopts sections of these Instructions which relate specifically to the survey of "new" and "existing" foreign-going passenger ships, or in- troduce equivalent Regulations under this head, the condition as to effective Regulations will be fully satisfied.
The Board of Trade further require that the survey staff should be sufficient in number and comprised of members having the requisite training and experience to ensure surveys being carried out in an entirely satisfactory manner.
The question of the number of surveyors necessary for continuous and efficient sur- vice in any port, must be carefully considered having due regard to local conditions and requirements.
From an inspection of the office records for a number of years, and a general know- ledge of the conditions under which the survey work of the Port is performed I am con- vinced that the marine survey Branch is at present considerably understaffed and that drastic reorganization is necessary to satisfy the Board of Trade that the staff is properly constituted.
There is an exceptionally large number of local craft to be dealt with annually, the majority of cases coming under survey twice a year. The nature of the services of these vessels calls for more efficient supervision of their hulls and machinery than can reason- ably be expected from the present staff, and the same may be said of the surveys in con- nection with the issue of foreign-going and other passenger certificates. I would add that this statement must not be taken as a reflection on the surveyors either collectively or in- dividually as I am sure they do their utmost to fulfil their official obligations.
It is to be expected that the recognition of the Hong Kong surveys and passenger certificates will serve to encourage shipbuilding and repairing in this Port and this in its turn will inevitably increase the work of the surveyors. This should be kept in view as, whatever immediate changes are made in the survey staff, it may be necessary to review the position in a few years time in the light of developments in the direction indicated
above.