CO129-540-7 Dredging of Hong Kong Harbour 26-4-1932 - 1-10-1932 — Page 53

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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

penalise the bulk 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 probably room

for co-operation between the Harbour Authorities of the

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 Port Engineer of Hong Kong

and Mr. C.G.S. 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 have, etc.