HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
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The hon. senior unofficial member stated in his speech:- "Incidentally we are informed that the Staff of the G.M.S. Depart- ment has grown to such dimensions that it seems doubtful whether there is sufficient shipbuilding and ship repair work now going on in the Colony to keep them all fully employed."
In 1927 at the instance of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd., and other local firms, in order to obtain recognition by the Board of Trade for our 1. A. Foreign-Going Passenger Certi- ficate, a matter of great importance to local shipbuilding interests, the Board of Trade were requested to send out to this Colony a representative to advise Government on the necessary steps to be taken before such recognition could be granted. It was laid down by the Board Trade vide Par 3 of Sessional Paper No. 5 of 1927 that they would require to be satisfied that:-
(a) The Survey work at this port is carried out by Officers competent to do the work and under regulations of equiva- lent value to those in force in the United Kingdom.
(b) The Staff is numerically adequate to deal efficiently with
the total work of the port.
Mr. Wilton, the Board of Trade representative, arrived in the Colony in 1927 and shortly after his arrival proposals for the At necessary additions to the G.M.S. Staff were put forward. that time Mr. Wilton considered the proposals adequate and provi- sion was made in the Estimates for 1928 to carry them into effect. After four months local experience however, Mr. Wilton informed me that he had underestimated the Survey work of the port and was of the opinion that the proposals as put forward and for which provision had already been made were the absolute minimum of Staff that was required to deal efficiently with the total work of the port. Since these proposals were adopted there has been no increase to the G.M.S. Staff. It is interesting to note that in the first eight months of the current year the Survey Staff has worked overtime on 38 days-15%.
Training Expenses for Marine Surveyors in England.
Government holds itself responsible for the cost of training Marine Surveyors in England as this follows the practice of the Board of Trade.
Candidates already trained are unobtainable.
The amount of $7,200 for this purpose for 1929 was under- estimated and on 27th April, 1929, a Supplementary Vote of $11,582 was taken, bringing the total of this Vote for 1929 up to $18,782.
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