CO129-598-2 Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Project 24-6-1948 - 3-3-1949 — Page 96

-2-

103

licences. Such licences were, we understand, issued in the past, prior to the passing of the Prospecting and Mining Ordinance, and a

resumption of this practice might be advisable as a temporary measure, pending the appointment of an Inspector of Mines even although there would be little or no effective control of prospecting and mining operations. It would probably be better to accept any resulting loss of revenue rather than face the criticisms to which a continuation of the present position is likely to give rise,

I should mention that Inspectors of Wines are hard to come by, and if one is going to be needed in Hong Kong the sooner the recruiting machinery is set in motion the better.

Perhaps when you reply to the despatch I have mentioned, you would let us have your views on thèse questions also.

Side bothan