57
thereby making it a more profi table concern, the
question of valuation when turning over to the
Company would have to be worked out on a profit-
earning basis.
MR. ROBINSON observed that it was surely the
general policy that these communications should be
handed over to Imperial and International Communica-
tions, Limited, provided that Hong Kong did not lose
money thereby or obtain a worse service than at
present existing, and it appeared to him that they
were safeguarded in both the se respects.
MR. VERNON said that the draft agreement with
the Company had included the erection of a high
power station, but he thought it was generally agreed
insistence on
that/this was now out of the question. Apart from
the high power station, the Com any had throughout
shown willingness to provide the Colony's requirements.
COLONEL WILLAN asked whether it was not a fact
that a high power station in Hong Kong would communicate
with one in Singapore, and expressed doubt as to
whether the Singapore station was to be erected.
IR. VERNON suggested that the Company might be
told that the negotiations had been so protracted
that the Colony were to be allowed to develop their
own communications.
COLONEL WILLAN observed that the reverse
procedure might be adopted by telling the Colony
they might proceed with their scheme for extension
and development, provided that they put up the high
power station, in fact, using the argument which the
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