Стри
69
3
Byt. 19888/17/47
Colonial Office,
The Church House,
Great Smith Street,
S.. 1.
HOC KONG
NO
GOVERNOR,
To April, 1948
Sir,
Anis. (6)
I have the honour to transmit to you, for your consideration a copy of a Report on the Fisheries of Hong Kong, prepared by Dr. Hickling, my Fisheries Adviser, as a result of his recent visit to the Colony.
2. Dr. Hickling's Report has been considered at a meeting of the Colonial Fisheries Advisory Committee, and I enclose an extract from the minutes of the meeting.
3. You will observe that some doubt was expressed about the wisdom of mechanising the fishing fleet and also about the means of financing this. I have since received with your despatch No. 244 of the 23rd October last, the interim report of the Hong Kong Colonial Development and Welfare Committee recommending inter alia a capital grant of £50,000 from the Hong Kong Colonial Development and Welfare allocation for this purpose. I should welcome your further views on the subject of the mechanization of the fleet in the light of the comments of the Colonial Fisheries Advisory Committee.
Aco Other recommendations in Dr. Hickling's Report were also embodied in the proposals of the Hong Kong Colonial Development and Welfare Committee. These included provision for improved landing facilities at Kennedy Town and for the reclamation of land at Aberdeen, and I have recently informed you that free grants of £10,000 and 250,000 under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act have been approved for these respective purposes.
5. In this Report Dr. Hickling refers to the lack of a full-time Co-operative Officer in Hong Kong. As you are aware an Officer considered highly suitable for the post of Registrar of Co-operatives was selected in this country, but recently and at the last moment declined the appointment. ́Every endeavour is being made to find another suitable officer.
6. The Colonial Fisheries Advisory Committee were greatly impressed with the success of the Hong Kong Fishermen's Co- operative Scheme, and I share their appreciation of the work done by Dr. Herklots and his staff in the development of the Scheme. I am aware that many obstacles have had to be overcome, including opposition from vested interests in the fishing industry but i trust that the benefite which have accrued to the fishermen will
It convince them that the scheme is in their best interests. should form a model for similar schemes in other Colonial territories, and I should like to circulate details of it for this purpose. I should, therefore, be glad to learn when Dr. Herklots' account of the history and development of the Scheme, to which Dr. Hickling refers in his Report, is likely to be available, and whether it will be in a form suitable for circulation to Colonial Governments.
SIR ALMXANDER GRANTHAM, K.U.M.G.
AT.
Miv.,
ETC.
M.