CO129-592-10 Future Policy in Hong Kong- Port Administration 10-4-1946 - 15-4-1947 — Page 8

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that minute was that steps should be taken to find some one who could later on be appointed as Chairman of the Hong Kong Port Trust after that Trust had been

set up.

Sir Edward Gent referred in his minute to the Hong Kong Government as having already decided to make the change of policy that is to set up a Port Trust, in 1941)

Mr. N.L. Smith, in a minute written subsequently on that file on the 11th October, 1945, clearly felt some doubts about the decision to create a Port Trust in Hong Kong, but it was felt that it was too late to reconsider that decision.

You will see from Mr. MacDougall's letter to me of the 10th April, that he also has his doubts on the subject. He says that he would very much like to see the case stated in writing for the creation of the proposed Port Trust, and that we need a stronger and more convincing document than the Owen Report itself.

A copy of the Owen Report is included in the folder attached to this file. The arguments leading up to the recommenda- tion in favour of a Port Trust are contained in paragraphs 61 to 82. The main argument seems to be that the Port Trust system has proved itself the best for other large ports. This is not apparently the case in South Africa where there is a Harbour Advisory Board at each port which, it is stated in paragraph 75, does not give satisfaction. This is, in my view, a conclusive argument.

It is quite conceivable that the local circumstances in Hong Kong do not necessitate a Port Trust, and that

the