P
10
.20
We see no reason to transfer the control of the Gunpowder Depot at Green Island from the Marine Department. It is, on the whole, efficiently operated and, with the security provisions made by the Commissioner of Police, adequately protected.
There has, however, beon a general lack of supervision of the movement of commercial Explosives, both on water and on land. After the permit had been granted to obtain delivery of the Explosives from Green Island Depot, little or no supervision was carried out of the transport of the Explosives in a small motor-boat through the Harbour, nor of their landing at any point along the crowded water- front and their transfer therefrom to an Explosives' store. On arri- val at the store the receipt of the Explosives should be entered up in a stockbook, which is inspected regularly by the Police, and issues for use in blasting should similarly be set down, but it is obvious that the loopholes for evasion and illicit issue of Explosives are very great.
We recommend that the supervision of the importation, veyance, sale and use of Explosives should be entirely in the hands of the Commissioner of Police and we have drawn up Regulations designed to cover not only the storage of Explosives, but also their use in blasting.
con-
In the meantime, pending a re-siting of the Gunpowder Depot, we have recommended restrictions in the amount of Explosives, and in the type of vessel on which they may be carried through the Harbour with due safety precautions. The removal permit, which will now be issued by the Commissioner of Police, will specify the place where the Explo- sives may be landed and by what route they may be conveyed to the licensed store. Constant supervision by the Folice is essential.
Even if it may not be possible to proceed at an early date with the construction of a new magazine for commercial Explosives on Fu Tau Chau, we recommend the construction of a small sub-store in the neighbourhood of Yau Tong, large enough to accommodate a week's or a fortnight's normal consumption. Transfer from the main dopot to this sub-store would be made as required, under Police escort. Conveyance from this sub-store, even to the island, would not require passage through the centre of the Harbour.
17.
Manufacture of Gunpowder and Fireworks
The control of the manufacture, conveyance and sale of gunpowder and fireworks has hitherto been exercised under the Gunpowder and Fireworks Ordinance, No. 14 of 1901, and Regulations made there- under. It has been argued that there is a conflict between these Regulations and Regulations made under the Dangerous Goods Ordinance. It seems best, therefore, to combine the Regulations under one enabling Ordinance.
The control of the manufacture of gunpowder and fireworks (as they involve the use of gunpowder) should be in the hands of the Commissioner of Police and we have followed fairly closely the pro- visions of the present Ordinance and Regulations, which have proved to be adequate.
The storage (outside a factory) and sale of fireworks (shop goods) which are included under Category 7(B), Readily Combustible Substances, should, however, be under the control of the Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade. Again, we have not made great changes in the present Regulations, but have modified them for ease of administration. We stress again that fireworks containing a chlorate must be wholly prohibited from manufacture, landing or storage in the Colony.
/ 18.
.