121
5.
ம்
4
I en firmly convinced that the foregoing ten functions should be under the direct control of a larine Department or Division of Government headed by a Director of Marine or Secretary for Marine.
This officer would be able to advise Government on all matters affecting shipping generally, and in a post-war world of "Agreements", "Quotas", etc., I am sure he would justify the appointment.
Furthermore, the time is coming when the Workman's Compensation Act, or similar legislation, will be extended to cover Hong Kong seamen, and the following problems would be best dealt with by such an Officer:
(a) War Claims and Compensation for injury and loss of
life at sea (Chinese).
(b) The winding up of the Shipping Control Board
involving a huge problem.
(c) Relations with China concerning Chinese Seamen,
and the establishment in Hong Kong of a Chinese Shipping Consul,
(a) Relations with China concerning the coastal traffic.
གའ་-་་-- -- ས་
(e) Liaison duties with the Chinese Seamen's Union.
For close working with the Port Authority, the Head of the Marine Department should be a member of the Port Trust.
I will now discuss one or two functions which I feel would be best left to a Marine Department.
(1) Notices to Mariners.
These Notices are international and are best dealt
with by an officer trained in Hydrographio Surveying. The exchange, drafting, publishing and actual distribution to Shipmasters should be the business of the Central Government and not a Port Trust.
(ii) The Registration of Launches and Junks.
Safety of life is very much wrapped up in this
question, and is likely to become more important as powered junks or lorcha come into service. The many recent accidents in Hong Kong indicate the advisability of incorporating a survey with the actual licensing. These surveys and periodic inspections are the work of the
Surveyors under the head of the Marine Department.
(iii) Entering and Clearing.
I cannot see what this has got to do with a Port Trust.
The entering and clearing of a vessel would be most suitable effected at the Marine Office where the validity of her papers could be checked by competent surveyors and officers in close contact with Government requirements and international agreements. This particularly refers to the entering and clearing of Junks and other coastal traffic. Surely a Port Trust with a huge development programme does not want to nibble at duties which no Port Trust in the world performs.