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Commissioner). The suggestion that an experienced harbour engineer should be associated with the inquiry was originally suggested by the Governor, in view of the fact that the issues relative to port adrinistration in Hong Kong are bound up with the physical development of the port. The payment of whatever remuneration may be customary to an engineer with the necessary qualifications would not constitute any difficulty.
We have so far not been successful in obtaining any wholly suitable name for this appoint- ment. Mr. A. Binns, who had been Engineer in the Port of London Authority under Oven, was approached; but he is unable to accept such an appointment this year. As an alternative we have been considering Mr. A. T. Coode, a partner in the firm of Coode, Wilson, Mitchell and Vaughan-Lee, who have for many years been employed as Consulting Engineers whenever there were any Government port works to be carried out in ilong Kong. Although, however, we are advised that from the technical point of view Coode would be an admirable selection, we fear that objections may be raised in Hong Kong to the association with Sir David Oven in the inquiry of a partner in a firm which may be represented as interested on the side of a system of control by public authority and which besides will be likely to be entrusted with any official works resulting from the report.
I am consulting Sir Leonard Browett and Sir Julian Foley to see whether they can suggest any engineer with suitable experience, independent of the Consulting Engineers, who is likely to be in
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