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Mr. Colman referred to the preliminary financial estimates which had been made available to the Committoe, and remarked that as separate accounts had not been kept in the past it had been impossible to arrive at any accurate figures, but that working on the suggestions in the Owen Report it appeared to him that the port, far from being subsidized by taxation, was
That this providing a comfortable balance for other purposes. balance, assuming that it existed, had not been used for port purposes in the past was due it seemed to him, to the fact that although there was a Port Engineer he worked under the control of the Director of Public Works and had no separate budget. As a result the allocation of expenditure on port works was part of the general Public Works budget, and despite the best of intentions, it was understandable that higher priority was usually given to urgent schemes in connection with the improvement of the drainage, water and road services, instead of to the improvement of wharves which had been worked fairly successfully for many years. The members of the Committee would appreciate that he was referring not so much to the Kowloon side, as to the wharves and piers on the Hong Kong side along Connaught Road where cargo was still mainly handled now in the same way as it was handled a hundred years ago. He instanced as examples coolies struggling up a one-foot plank with packing cases on a bamboo pole weighing half a ton or more, and cattle being driven up steps designed for the use of foot passengers. was, Mr. Colman said, a great deal of work and improvement to be oarried out on the Hong Kong side of the harbour.
There
Mr. Colman said that in the past when capital had been available private enterprise had been a great success, but when the necessary capital had not been available the private enterprises concerned had suffered by the lack of provision of facilities; whereas a Port Trust would be able to formulate and put into effect a long-term policy so as to put such things right and make progressive improvements year by year. He thought that i the planning were well thought out the works carried out should prove a profitable investment.
Mr. Colman thought that it would be necessary for the Port Trust to have a strong voice in future planning in regard to reclamations, including the according of priorities to the various schemes. The Port Trust should also be represented when consideration was being given to town planning improvements which might affect the harbour in any way.
Were Port Trust to be formed, it was generally agreed that it would be necessary to form a separate department to deal with the enforcement of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance and the Board of Trade Rules, work which naturally could not be carried on by the Port Trust which would be representative of the shipping community. He also listed other duties, such as those of the Surveyor of Ships' Office, the Marine Magistrate, the examination of Master's and Mates, which he thought it was inappropriate or undesirable that a Port Trust should undertake. He mentioned however that the present Harbour Master's Office is sub-divided into departments and he thought the separation of the non- relevant duties would be a simple matter, which could be effected without incurring additional expense, and would have the merit that the Marine Officer of the Port Trust would then be able to give his full attention to his technical duties.