CO129-540-7 Dredging of Hong Kong Harbour 26-4-1932 - 1-10-1932 — Page 101

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taken or not. It is therefore probable that to dredge this area to thirty-two feet only would be disproportionately expensive, involving payment of the cost of bringing out the plant in addition to the cost of the actual dredging. There is no plant in the Colony capable of doing the work.

8.

As the matter is one of considerable importance to the Colony, I should be glad if I might have your approval to dredge to whatever depth is advocated by the Imperial Shipping Committee. If it is to be thirty-four or thirty- six feet the cost will be too heavy to be paid for out of current revenue and I would recommend that in that case it be financed by loan, in the same way as the dredging in 1927/1928 was undertaken. Even should it be necessary to expend as

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much as nine lakhs an outside figure there would be no difficulty in obtaining the money locally. This item would be inserted in the general scheme of works to be financed by loan in the future as outlined in my Confidential despatch of 10th March, 1932; whether a special levy on shipping should be made to meet the whole or part of the cost could be decided later when the actual cost is known. In any case the annual charge would inflict no hardship on the community, which is fully alive to the necessity for maintaining Hong Kong as a first class port. No figure is available for dredging the blue area to thirty-two feet only. It is therefore at present impossible to say whether, in the event of dredging being limited to this, it should be paid for out of current revenue or loan.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

Live

Governor, &c.