MEMORANDUM
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As directed at the meeting of the Hong Kong Port Consultative Committeo held on the 15th November, I have ascertained how the functions formerly controlled by the Harbour Master, Hong Kong are dealt with in a muitor of other ports.
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2. There is a lack of uniformity in the allocation of duties and in the titles given to the officers controlling these functions, and for the purposes of this memorandum ny enquiries have been directed to finding out which of the functions are controlled by the equivalent of the Harbour Master in other ports and, where possible, to whom the residual functions are allocated. The information which I have collected is summarised, very briefly, in the following paragraphs.
3. London. The Port Authority is not responsible for lights, navigational buoys or pilotage, but the view was expressed to me that these should be under the control of the Harbour Master. The Chief Harbour, Kaster is known as the River Superintendent, He is responsible for soundings and surveys, the enforcement of the river by-laws including petroleum and explosives regulations, mooring and berthing in the river (except at private berths), the examination of lightormen • and watermen, the surveying, measuring and registration of river craft (except barges and tugs covered by Board of Trade Certificate), wreck marking, notices to marinors, advice to the management on intended encroachments or accommodations and the collcotion of, tonnage dues and pier and rivor tolls. He is not responsible for navigation in the approaches to the deck systems nor within the docks, which is controlled by Dockmasters responsible through Dock Superintendents to the Chief Traffic Manager. Dredging and wrock raising, in pre-war times controlled by the River Superintendent, are now carried out by a separate department in accordance with the requirements made known by the River Superintendent. The River Superintend ent and his Assistant Harbour Masters are precluded from acting as expert witnesses in collision enquiries without tac express permission of the Port Authority.
4. Liverpool. The Marine Surveyor end Water Bailiff to the Mersey nooks and Harbour Board has similar responsibilities to those of the River Superintendent of the Port of London Authority but in addition he is directly responsible for salvage, dredging, lighting and buoying. In view of the demage done to the dock facilities by tuga, the Board has recently obtained powers to license and survoy tugs and other river craft and to satisfy itself as to the competency of their arews. The Docks and Harbour Board is also the pilotage authority. The pilots are examined and licensed by a Committee set up for the purpose. Their employment is controlled by a Superintendent of Pilots appointed by the Board, but the Pilota themselves are not employed by the Board.
5. Lagos. The port facilities are controlled and operated by the Nigerian Government through a Director of Mering with a large technical staff. The Marino Department undertakes pilotage, towage, mooring, marine surveys, the licensing of boats and lighters, and maintains lighthouses, buoys and boacons.
6. Mombasa. The port facilities are controlled and operated by the Kenya and Uganda Railways and Harbour Administration, which is a separate administrative and financial unit responsible to the Governor as High Commissioner for Transport. The Railways and Harbour Administration is responsible for the provision of pilots, lights and buoys, and undertakes mooring and the registration, licensing and surveying of dhows; but is not responsible for the Mercantile Marine functions.
7. Singapore. The Singapore Harbour Egarê is concerned mainly with the control and operation of the berths, quays and warenouse facilities in the harbour area. It is not the conservancy, lighting or pilotage authority. The principal officers of the Straits Settlements Government include a Master Attendant who is responsible for the Mercantile Kazino (Shipping) Office, Registry of Shipping, Licensing of River Boats, Marine Court, Court of Inquiry, Licensing of Pilots, the operation and maintenance of lighthouses and the application of the explosives regulations. The Surveyor General of Ships is responsible for marine surveys, and an Immigration and Fassports Officer is responsible for the collection, of lending fees and fines, and the issue of certificates of aémission. The Director of
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GR