CO129-542-3 Foreshore and Sea-bed Works Bill- correspondence 9-1-1933 - 16-8-1933 — Page 85

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provisions of the Bill are finally submitted for the approval of

the Secretary of State.

The Committee remains emphatically of opinion that a

general Bill of this nature should in no case confer powers upon

the Government to carry out large scale public works of the nature

indicated in paragraph 5 hereof, since the nature of such schemes

would not be known until they had already been decided upon by

the Government.

Each scheme of this nature should be made the subject of

a separate Bill.

7.

The Committee is therefore of opinion that the present

Bill should be redrafted on the lines indicated in the first

portion of the preceding paragraph.

8. At the interview above referred to Mr. Cowell suggested

that the Committee should submit a draft clause embodying the view

it entertains. This suggestion has had the careful consideration

of the Committee but, in the absence of any definite knowledge of

the exact nature of the minor works it is desired to carry out as

indicated in the Governor's despatch and the answers of the Secre-

tary of State, it has not found it possible to frame any clause

which would be likely to meet the end in view. It should, however,

be well within the competence of the Government's Draftsman, with

an exact knowledge of what the Government has in mind, a knowledge

the Government should have no difficulty in furmishing, to draft

a clause to which no reasonable objections could be made.

9.

Apart from this major question of the scope of the Bill

there are certain amendments of a minor nature which, in the

opinion of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce and of the

Committee are necessary in order adequately to protect the private

interests which may, under any circumstances, be affected by any

public works which may be carried out.