political adjustments necessitated by war
(e.g. the constitutional changes which youare
now considering) clearly make it most desirable
that all practical methods of control and
operation of the port should be thoroughly
investigated before any decisive step is taken.
You will no doubt therefore consider whether
the necessary measure of reform could not be
secured and previous deficiencies in port
arrangements remedied by some modification of
the existing system of governmental control.
Any such plan would, of course, have to ensure,
on the one hand, close and effective co-ordination
between the various Government Departments
concerned and, on the other, the fullest possible
representation of both public and any other major
interests involved. One means of ensuring this
would be by the appointment of an Advisory Committee
including representatives of all such interests,
but local consultations may lead you to put forward
proposals which would involve an even wider measure
of public responsibility for the port.
4.
If, as a result of further consideration,
it should be decided not to proceed with the creation
of a Port Trust and some other scheme of control
and operation than this or the existing method be
found necessary, the Chairman-designate of the Port Trust (and possibly the Secretary-designate) could
no doubt be employed for at least the remainder of
his contract in advising on these changes and the best means of introducing them.
5. The future arrangements for the control and operation of the port are, of course, a matter of some interest to other Departments here (such
as the Admiralty and Ministry of War Transport) and as
108
I