CO129-540-7 Dredging of Hong Kong Harbour 26-4-1932 - 1-10-1932 — Page 19

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Admiralty in order that the proper provision for meeting the Admiralty requirements may be made.

(5) On the question of cost, the Committee observe that the quotation obtained some time ago from the Netherlands Dredging Company is no longer binding, and consequently, the Committee are not in a position to visualise the approximate cost of the combined Port and Admiralty scheme. They assume, however, that both as a result of the increase in the area to be dredged and perhaps of the recent appreciation of the Hong Kong currency, a substantial reduction in the rates quoted by the Netherlands Dredging Company will be obtained.

(6) The Committee have taken note of the sentence in paragraph 8 of the Governor's despatch to the effect that it could be decided later, when the cost is known, whether a special levy on shipping should be made to meet the whole or part of that cost. They have given their decision in favour of dredging to the greater depth on the assumption that the dues of the port, which are already fairly high, will not be increased, since, in their opinion, it is not desirable to add to the cost of the shipping using the port for the sake of a few large liners, however desirable it may be in the interests of Hong Kong and the liner companies concerned, that this work should be undertaken.

(7) The Committee notice that the quotations on which the tentative estimates of cost have been based by the Hong Kong Government came from a foreign firm. The Hong Kong Government have no doubt already considered the desirability of utilizing British enterprise for the execution of this work if this can be done without excessive increase of cost. The Committee would point out that in view of the probable co-operation of the Admiralty additional emphasis should be attached to this consideration, since part of the money will be coming from the tax payer of the United Kingdom. Although this aspect of the question has not been directly referred to them, the Committee, in their capacity of an Imperial Committee representing all the Governments of the Empire, would venture to suggest that since a considerable part of the cost of such schemes is involved in bringing plant to the spot, there is possibly room for co-operation with the Harbour Authorities of other eastern ports of the Empire, such as Bombay, Colombo and Singapore.

(8) I would add that the Committee have had the advantage of consulting Mr. Adam Anderson, the Fort Engineer of Hong Kong and Mr.C.G.5.Mackie, a member of the Hong Kong Harbour Advisory Committee, on the subject, and they wish to place on record their appreciation of the assistance which, by reason of their local knowledge and experience, these two gentlemen were able to give to the Committee in this Inquiry.

I am,

Yours sincerely,

(Sgd). H.J. MACKINDER

Chairman,

Imperial Shipping Committee.

The Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister,

K.B.E., M.P.