N.L. 3328/42.
Naval Law Branch, 79
Admiralty,
Rex House,
Lower Regent St.,
S.W.1.
30th April, 1942.
.
Dear Gent,
We have now had an opportunity of examining the latests drafts of the Hong Kong and Singapore Orders in Council: your letter of the 25th March to Jackson, Ministry of War Transport, No. 54109/41 is the latest reference.
Although the definition of "Merchant Shipping functions" covers a good many functions which are the province of the Admiralty under the United Kingdom Defence Regulations and not that of the Ministry of War Transport, I do not think that we are likely to require to exercise such powers and we have therefore no objection to the wording remaining as it is at present. If action is required we will approach either yourselves or the Ministry of War Transport as the case may be.
I gather that both drafts are again being reconsidered as the result of the
reference ...
G.E.J. Gent, Esq., D.S.0., 0.B.E., M.C.,
Colonial Office,
S.W.1.