CONFIDENTIAL
256
Minutes of the First Meeting of the Hong Kong Port Consultative
Committee held at the Colonial Office
at 2.30pm on 15th November, 1945.
Present:
Mr. N.L. Smith, C.M. G. Chairman lir. S.B.B. McElderry, Joh.G.
Mr. S.H. Dodwell
Mr, A. Lang
Mr J. Masson
*
Mr. C. Wurtzburg, M.C.
In attendance Mr. A. Nicol
Mr. C.G.F.F, Melmoth
1. Terms of Reference
The Chairman opened the meeting by recalling that the Committee had been set up "to consider and recommend measures for the future control and development of the port of Hong Kong".
2. Sir David Owen's Report
The Chairman explained that in 1941 Sir David Owen had prepared at the request of the Government a report on the control and development of the port, which had been circulated to the chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong, published in the Hong Kong Press, agreed to by the majority of Executive Council, and forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Colonies by the Governor, with a recommendation that Sir David Owen's proposala be accepted, subject to minor amendments only. The Chairman mentioned certain criticisms of the Report which had been voiced before its final approval in Executive Council c The Cominittoo agreed in principle with Sir David Owen's proposals and proceeded to discuss how they were to be put into effect,
3. Political Future of the Colony
છે.
In reply to an enquiry from Mr. Lang the Chairman gave it as his opinion that the Committee should proceed on the assumption that there would be no change from the pre-occupation form of administration of the Colony proper, vis:- Hong Kong and Kowloon. It was pointed out that any possible change in the status of the territories held under the 1898 Lease would affect the Owen Report in the matter of determining the harbour limits and the site of the Air Port.
4. Appointment of Staff
It was reported by Mr. McElderry that the following appointments had been made with a view to the setting up of the proposed Port Trust.
(a) Chairman (designate) Mr. C.j. Colman,
It was explained that Mr. Colman, who was formerly a senior official of the Calcutta Port Trust and was at present representing the Ministry of war Transport in Basrat had been engaged in the first instance for two
years. He was shortly proceeding to Hong Kong for a preliminary survey of the position there before returning to London for further consultations an d
preparatory