68
(.) This I suggest should be altered to:—
the public are provided free of charge with an agreed amount of land through the Company's property-including sites for Stations- necessary for extension of the Singapore and Kranji Railway to Keppel
Harbour.'
The mistake lies in that it is not merely land for a site for a Station that has been arranged for, but land for the line as well.
(1.) Might I again suggest that here, in the "Objects and Reasons," the Com- pany's responsibilities to the Port should also be referred to and emphasised?
(m.) Instead of the last sentence, I would suggest something like the following, viz.:~-
"Another part of the arrangement mentioned above, is that Government shall be represented on the Directorate of the Company. The interests of a large proportion of the Tonnage now visiting this port have become very greatly dependent on the satisfactory working and development of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company. In this way there has grown up a degree of responsibility on the part of the Company to the port generally that makes Government representation on the Directorate highly desirable. This also is provided for in the Bill, which provides for the appointment of two additional Directors by the Governor, in addition to those appointed under the Company's Articles of Associa- tion."
(n.) It seems to me likely to be of possible importance in the future that the Government view, as expressed in that part underlined red,* should be pointedly placed on record in the introduction of this proposed Bill.
JOHN ANDERSON.
69
(2) What is the sum which the Directors of the Company have come to the
conclusion must be borrowed for this purpose?
(3) Whether the Directors would welcome Government assistance in the matter
of raising the money?
4. It is perhaps hardly necessary to explain that, the harbour accommodation of the very important port of Singapore being mainly in the hands of a private company, the Government cannot be indifferent to the proceedings and interests of that Company, inasmuch as the interests of the Company are in a large measure identical with the interests of the port. This is the reason for which the present letter has been written, and I am to supplement it by stating that if your Committee would prefer a preliminary conference before answering the letter, I am instructed by Mr. Lyttelton to see you. In that case you may probably agree that it would be of advantage that Sir F. Swettenham should also, if possible, be present.
The Chairman of
31195
the London Committee of the
Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, Limited.
No. 13.
I am,
&c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PLLC.O. 882
8 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
24453
No. 12.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE TANJONG PAGAR DOCK COMPANY, LIMITED.
[Answered by Nos. 13 and 16.]
SIR,
Downing Street, September 2, 1904. As your Committee are no doubt aware, the attention of the Secretary of State has of late been closely directed to the position and requirements of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company.
The Committee will remember that, in connection with the scheme formulated by Messrs. Coode, Son, and Matthews for Singapore harbour improvements, an exchange of land between the Company and the Government was proposed, and that it was also suggested, though the Secretary of State did not eventually approve of the suggestion, that the Government should be represented on the local Board of Directors.
2. The Governor has, in a recent despatch, stated that he understands that the Company will require to borrow a large sum in order to enable them to improve and extend the accommodation which they can now offer to the great and growing amount of shipping which calls at the port of Singapore; and he has intimated that the Governments of the Colony and of the Federated Malay States might, under certain conditions, be prepared to lend this money to the Company or enable the Company to borrow it on favourable terms.
3. The whole matter is now under Mr. Lyttelton's consideration, but before he deals with it he desires to be fully possessed of the views of the London Committee on the whole subject.
In particular I am to ask you to be good enough to inform the Secretary of State-
(1) Whether it has been finally decided to carry out the contemplated exten- sions and improvements, and, if so, within what period and beginning at what date?
• Shown here in italics.
SIR,
THE TANJONG PAGAR DOCK COMPANY, LIMITED, to COLONIAL
OFFICE.
(Received September 7, 1904.)
120, Fenchurch Street, London, E.C., September 6, 1904.
I HAVE to thank you for your letter of 2nd instant* and in reply beg to state that we hope to be in possession of Mr. Matthews' and Mr. Nicholson's joint report in two or three weeks' time, copy of which we shall have much pleasure in sending to you, and will, thereafter, gladly avail of the proposal that this Committee should wait upon yourself and Sir Frank Swettenham.
C. P. Lucas, Esq.,
C.B.
31195
SIR,
I have, &c.,
W. G. GULLAND,
Chairman, London Consulting Committee, Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, Limited, Singapore.
No. 14.
COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR F. A. SWETTENHAM.
Downing Street, September 9, 1904.
WITH reference to your memorandum of the 17th of July † I am directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to inform you that it is proposed that a preliminary con- ference should be held between members of the London Committee of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company and this Department to consider the proposal to offer Govern- ment assistance to the Company.
2. Mr. Lyttelton would be much obliged if you could arrange to assist at this conference, of which you will receive due notice, and which will probably take place in two or three weeks' time.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
• No. 12.
↑ Not printed.