would be to ask the Shipping Companies to take such steps as they felt able to do for the searching of
passengers.
2.
Grilles.
17
In answer to an enquiry by the Chairman, Mr. Graham said that, although the Shipping Companies affirmed that efficient grilling of ships could not be secured without infringing Board of Trade regulations, the position was that the fitting of grilles would not infringe any specific Board of Trade regulations. Board of Trade Surveyors, however, would not ordinarily allow any arrangement which would impede the mustering of
passengers at boat stations or interfere with their
embarkation in boats in an emergency. When this point
was raised some months ago the Board of Trade had
informed the Admiralty in a letter dated 17th April, 1934, (M.5974/34) that if this were the only objection to grilles, the Board would be prepared to instruct
their Surveyors to raise no objection to the suggested
erections in the case of vessels proceeding to China to
engage in the inland water trade or in the Chinese
coasting trade, but the Board were not satisfied that
grilles were necessary or should be allowed on ocean-going
passenger liners merely calling at Hong Kong in the
course of their voyage. The Board would also be willing, Mr. Graham thought, to explain this view to the Hong Kong Government in order that it might be brought to the notice of the local Surveyors who, although in the
Colonial Service, were guided by the Board of Trade
practice. Incidentally it was pointed out that ships
operating in Chinese waters often carried a number of
passengers out of proportion to the boat accommodation
provided, and that the deficiency was usually made up
by life floats, which need not be stowed within the
/grilled
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.