CO129-540-7 Dredging of Hong Kong Harbour 26-4-1932 - 1-10-1932 — Page 82

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before the pier was erected that they could not undertake to

dredge the approaches to it to a depth of 36 feet, the

Godown Company assumed that the local Government would

eventually provide suitable approaches to the pier. Mr. Mackie confirmed that the Godown Company was a public Company in

which shipowners were largely interested.

3. hr. Hackie agreed that under existing conditions No.1

pier was practically useless, being of service only to small

ships. For the present large ships were accommodated at No.4

pier, but this pier was not long enough for the purpose and

was to be lengthened. The present berthing accommodation was

inadequate to meet the needs of the port.

4.

On the question of cost Mr. Mackie estimated the

difference in cost between dredging to 34 feet and dredging to 36 feet at £50,000. He was strongly of opinion that none of

the cost of the proposed dredging should be borne by either

the shipping industry or the Godown Company, as in his view the costs of the harbour to shipping were already too high and it would be unfair to ask the Godown Company to bear dredging costs in addition to those they undertook already. The

Godown Company were at present responsible for dredging for a distance of 100 feet in front of their wharves and for this

purpose they kept a small grab dredger constantly employed. Mr. Mackie suggested that there was enough dredging work in the harbour to justify the purchase of a dredger for the

purpose by the local Government. In Mr. Mackie's opinion there would be no difficulty in financing locally the proposed scheme for dredging the approaches to all the wharves to 36

feet.

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