54145/1/47
34
Hit: March.
ge
February, 1947.
sir,
I am directed by Mr. Secretary Creech Jones to refer to the letter of 6th April, 1945 from this Department on the subject of the future control and development of the port of Hong Kong with particular reference to the report presented by 8ir David Owen in 1941.
2.
In pursuance of the decision then taken to accept generally the recommendations of Sir David Owen for the establishment of a Port Trust, Mr. C. J. Colman was selected for appointment as Chairman of the proposed Trust, and, with his assistance, draft legislation was prepared to bring these recommendations into effect..
3. In view, however, of the changes and lapse of time since the proposals in the Owen report were considered by the Colonial Government in 1941, it was decided to invite the Governor to re-examine, in consultation with his advisers, the main proposal for the cation of a Port Trust in the light of the social and political adjustments necessitated by the war. It was felt that the importance of the port in Hong Kong economy was such that the system of control to be adopted had necessarily to be considered in relation to constitutional changes now under discussion. The Governor was asked to
/consider
THE SECRETARY,
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT.