4.
17 106
would be taken from this work and employed on the ordinary
work of the department.
9.
The Commissioners consider that the Harbour Master was
wrong in his estimte of the staff requirements of the
Government Marine Surveyors department; and that as a result
of his wishes having been met the department is now over staffed
The Commissioners do not advocate the abandonment of the IA
certificate, but they are of the opinion after having heard
expert evidence of a number of witnesses both from the Govern-
ment Marine Surveyors' staff and private shipping and surveyors'
firms, that a reduction can safely be made from fourteen
surveyors to ten without the efficient carrying out of the
surveys of ships for IA certificates being in any way
jeopardised. The posts of Draughtsman and two Tapemen should
also be abolished.
10. It was said in the opening paragraph that too rigorous
regulations may discourage shipping from using this port.
An instance of this occurs in the case of survoys of Coastal
ships. Hong Kong has as yet no regulations of its own for
these, - for the promulgation of which provision is made in
section 10 ( 6 ) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance. Draft
regulations have been drawn up and are being considered by
the Marine Surveyors' department. Meanwhile however an
attempt is being made to raise the standard required of
coastal ships to that required by the Board of Trade at home.
Were the Marine Surveyors' Department not over-staffed it is
probable that this would not have occurred. Publication
of the Hong Kong Regulations should be made as soon as possibl
11. The work of the Marine Surveyors' Department could be
lightened by having annual instead of bi-annual surveys in
the case of non passenger carrying launches, with the right
2