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Colony, and might well be left to the decision of the Imperial Maritime Customs.
The Committee of this Chamber are unable to endorse the statement made that Zone time is unpopular with navigators; so far as their information goes this is certainly not the case - rather the reverse as it involves no alteration of time between ports.
It might be of interest were I to add that the Foreign Telegraph Companies have already adopted a universal official time in their stations in China and Hongkong. The Harbour Master suggests that the Macao Government should be consulted and doubtless they would like to be. My Committee have little hesitation in thinking that they will readily see advantages in agreeing to the change, more particularly as the owners of the projected Macao-Canton Railway will be anxious to take advantage of any scheme which will tend to render easy the connection of their railway with the trunk lines running into Canton.
In conclusion I am to point out that as the only argument to be brought against the scheme is that it is a change from the existing order of things and, as the advantages in favour of its adoption by Hongkong are very real, the Committee trust His Excellency the Governor will readily give his consent to the proposed change of time being officially adopted in the Colony.
I have etc.,
(Sgd.) A. R. Lowe,
Secretary.