4.
2
and the Chairman suggested that the Committee's investigation should be begun by Mr. Colman giving the members, out of his knowledge and experience, the arguments for and against a Port Trust, his views on the deficiencies in present arrangements and his proposals for remedying them. The Chairman emphasized that Mr. Colman would not be coming before the Committee as the protagonist of a Port Trust, but as an expert giving information and advice uninfluenced by any question of personal interest. He suggested that Mr. Colman should be present while the Committee is taking evidence or gleaning information so that his opinion might be sought if the need arose. The Chairman proposed that after Mr. Colman had addressed the Committee the members should each state their views. He also asked members to suggest the names of other persons whose views might be informative who could be invited to appear before the Committee, and asked the Committee for their views as to the desirability of issuing a notice to the public through the Press inviting the submission of the views of persons representative of sections of the community likely to be affected by changes in the administration of the Port.
After discussion it was agreed
(a) that Mr. Colman should address the Committee on the
pros and cols of a Port Trust; his views on the deficiencies in the present arrangements and his proposals for remedying them, and be present at meetings of the Committee while evidence was being taken or information gathered;
(b) to recommend that the constitution and terms of
reference of the Committee be published in the Gazette and the Chinese and European Press, and that an invitation through the Press be issued to persons representative of interests likely to be affected by changes in the administration of the Port, who wished to do so, to state their views to the Committee;
(၁)
that members of the Committee would suggest to the
Chairman the names of persons who should be invited to state their views to the Committee, and the Hon. Mr. Landale and Mr. Kadoorie in particular agreed to give the Chairman a list of such names;
(a) that after Mr. Colman had given the Committee his
views, and the list of persons who were to be interviewed had been made available, the Committee would take stock of the position and hear the views of these persons, after which the members of the Committee would express their own opinions, before completing the work of the Committee by submitting an impartial report.
FINANCIAL ESTIMATES.
Mr. Wickerson pointed out that a material factor to be considered before arriving at a decision was what the financial effect of the formation of a Port Trust would be, and he asked
The for this information to be made available to the Committee. Hon. Mr. Landale suggested that the preparation of financial estimates should be deferred until the inquiry had been further advanced and a clearer opinion was available as to the need for a Port Trust and the scope of the duties to be entrusted to it.