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Mr. Gent.
You will wish to see developments in regard to the Hong Kong Port Administration which have taken place since you went on leave. Please see the two memoranda by Mr. Andrew Nicol, Port Engineer, Hong Kong, recently returned from internment, (79 and 80) and also minutes of the meeting held on the 15th November.
Mr. Swire asked whether Mr. Masson who had been in charge of Swire's interests in Hong Kong might attend the meeting instead of him, and after consulting Mr. Smith I readily agreed. Mr. Masson was very useful and on the suggestion of the other members of the Committee it has been arranged that he should be invited to attend future meetings, as well as Mir Swire who I think may leave it to him and not allond,
B
It was also the view of the meeting that Matheson should be represented, particularly in view of the Star ferry question. I accordingly asked Mr. Keswick to take Mr. Landale's place and he has agreed to do so.
You will see that Mr. Nicol in his memoranda puts forward the idea of a tunnel under the harbour and suggests that we should not commit ourselves in regard to ferry services for a period of more than 15 years so as to allow of this alternative. Unfortunate neither Mr. Smith or I were aware of the undertaking which had already been given to Mathesons that they would be given the concession of the Star ferry services for a period of 30 years. On the strength of this undertaking they are no doubt proceeding with the purchase of new ferry boats etc.
I am surprised that Mathesons have not already entered a protest about this, and if they do I think we shall have to say that any consideration to be
given to the tunnel scheme must not conflict with the undertaking already given about the Star ferry.
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