CO129-477 - Public Offices - 1922 — Page 102

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the question may be approached; =

(1)

(2)

(3)

The formation of a Port Trust which would

take over existing wharves, aonstruot new wharveD

and manage the new wharves and those taken ovez,

The allotment of land to sxisting wharf

owners for development of their business by new

sonstruction at their own expende und te such

other Companies as may wish to construet wharves,

The construation of new vharves by the

Government on a settled plan for the development

of the port for many years ahead, together with

the railway facilities to such wharves, and the

leasing of them to private Companies who will

Barry on and manage the business in their own way

24.

as rogarés (1) the formation of Port Trusts has

been very successful in some places, but in our opinion the

conditions existing at Hong Kong are different from these

in ether parts. The port asts na a distributing and

selleeting centre for an enormous trade which has been

developed altogether by private enterprise. The intereste

which would have to be taken over are so large and the

management of such interests would be suck a serious

undertaking that we do not consider it would be well for

the Government to undertake it. The question of the

storage af goeds and their distribution is a very importent

one, and even if the Government took over the wharves and

gedowna of the Tharf and Godems Company and of Honera,

Helt & Co., the Government would then be in competition

with the many other large gedom interests which exist and

others which would no doubt grow up. Te speak quite frankl

we consider it extremely difficult for a Government to