CO129-540-7 Dredging of Hong Kong Harbour 26-4-1932 - 1-10-1932 — Page 36

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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. Hong Kong Government have no doubt already considered the

The

desirability of utilizing British enterprise for the

L

execution of this work if this can be done without excessive

increase of cost. The Committee would point out that in

i

view of the probable co-operation of the Admiralty additional

mi

/emphasis