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reparatory work.
(b) Secretary (designate) Mr. C.G.F.F. Melmoth,
(c) It was also reported that the Civil Affairs Administration in Hong Kong desired to engage Mr. Carter for one year as an Engineer. The members of the Committee agreed that this might be done.
5. Financial Arrangements
(a) The Chairman mentioned that Sir David Owen had recommended that during the infial experimental period of three years the Government should continue to bear the coats and receive the revenue which however were to be segregated and an annust statement of Revenue and Expenditure prepared, with a view to providing financial information es to the adequacy of the charges before setting up a permanent Port Trust. the experimental period development expenditure would be borne and accounted for separately by the Government.
•
During
(b) In reply to an enquiry as to whether on the pre- Occupation basis the port services were self-supporting, the Chairman gave the following rough figures of annual revenue:-
Light Duca
Buoy renta
Dollare
400,000
125,000
50,000
Pier rents
Ferry Royalties - exceeding 200,000
In addition revenue also accrued from fese for sundry licences and it was considered reasonable to accept Mr. Nicol's rough estimate of the total annual revenue at between 850,000 and 1000,000 dollars, which it was thought should exceed expenditure, of which salaries were estimated roughly to amount to 250,000 dollars per annum,
(c) In considering the costs of operating the Fort Trust attention was drawn to Sir David Owen's comments on the duties performed by the Harbour Master. Aftex considerable discussion on the way in which the division of responsibility suggested by Sir David Owen was to effected, in the course of which divergent views were expressed by members of the Committee, it was agreed that Mr, Melmoth be asked to submit a memorandum outlining the practice followed in London, Liverpool, and, if possible,
a number of colonial porte, e.g. Lagon, Colombo, Singapore and Mombasa,
6. Mr. Nicol's Memorandum dated 18th September, 1945
In the course of discussion on Er. Nicol's Memorandum setting out his comments on Sir David Owen's report, it was agreed that the proposed refuge harbours at Cheung Sha Wan and Tai man a peared open to objection on the score that the sites were unsuitable, Support was also expressed for Mr. Micol's view that the sewage disposal question required early consideration.
7. Mr. Nicol's Memorandum on Cross darbour Transportation
(dated 26th September, 1945.)
(a) hr. Lang gave his opinion that the proposal for the construction of a sub-aqueous tunnel is undesirable on political grounds because it would link Hong Kong to the mainland,
(b)
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