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Col. Rouse,
C. A., D. P.W.
Following the receipt by Government of Sir David Owen's report in 1941, and as Sir David intended to leave the Colony at an early date, I immediately purused it and arranged a meeting with him to discuss certain points that appeared to me to require elucidation. This meeting took place at the Peninsula Hotel, Mr. Duncan Kennedy also being present. The points raised by me together with Sir David's answers as far as my memory goes were as follows:-
I.
Over what area was it suggested the Trust should have control? The proposed Trust should have jurisdiction over all the waters of the Colony.
Which sea walls, piers and quays should be transferred to the Trust? No hard and fast rule could be laid down; but where a see wall is used primarily as a place for handling cargo or mooring craft, it should be transferred to the Control of the Trust.
Wes it intended to duplicate the Engineering staff working on marine worka? As the Trust would necessarily require the services of an Engineer, it would probably be possible in the meantime for the Trust's Engineer to undertake the construction maintenance and repaire of all sea walls end Government Pigre in addition, including the sea walls of future reclamations. Payment for his services and for work carried out on behalf of Government would be a matter of accounting.
Who should control the Water Police? The Trust should have no Control over the Water. Police which body would remain as at present constituted,
When should pier rents be revised? All requests for revi- sion of pier rents should be resisted until immediately prior to the falling in of the pier leases.
What should be done with Marine Right claims? That at the first opportunity, the question of compensation for Marine Rights be referred to the courts for decision, It appeared to Sir David that too much had been made of this obstacle in the past, and he recommended dealing boldly with the problem by inviting claims.
II. I Stanley Camp I had ample opportunity to dwell on Harbour matters and as there was no copy of Sir David's report in the camp I compiled, from memory. a statement on the subject. Unfor tunately the happenings of November 1943, when Mr. Fraser and others lost their lives sent a wave of extreme caution through the camp and it was deemad expedient to destroy all papers. I have now re-read the report and would place before you some of the points that have again come to mind,
III. I had grave doubts from the first that Sir David'e suggestion to choose from amongst the business men of the Colony an independent chairman would ever prove satisfactory. I hab felt and atill feel that the crux of the proposal to set up a Trust is to obtain the services of an able and unbiased administrator trained in port work from somewhere outside the Colony.
I am happy to learn that such an administrator is soon coming to H.K. For too long have port matters been left to drift, a Trust would be charged presumably with the duty of looking ahead, collecting the necessary statistics, planning future development and coord- inating interests in the Port. It is true that some attempt has been made by individuals to do something on these lines, but lack- ing e properly constituted suthority their work was of mch less velue than it should have besn.
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