CO129-608-7 Future policy- Report on Port Administration by Sir David Owen 24-2-1941 - 24-2-1941 — Page 157

CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG PORT ADMINISTRATION INQUIRY COMMITTEE

Representations received in response

to an invitation addressed to certain persons by the Chairman on 23.9.46.

(Continued)

16

No.17

From:

Professor R. Robertson, University of Hong Kong.

Dated: 14th October, 1946.

1. I have been asked to place before the Committee my views on the subject of Port Administration. What follows is not more than a note on certain aspects of the questions involved.

2.

Since the Port is the Colony's chief material asset, efficiency of operation is a primary consideration. At the same time, it is equally necessary that due regard be paid to all the interests concerned, including those of the inhabitants in general. The combination of these two objectives would appear to be the crux of the matter, each being dependent on the attainment of the other.

3. The proposals in the Report of the late Sir David Owen do not, to my mind, secure this combination.

4.

Such study as I have made of the subject of port administration leads me to believe that the best system would be one in which there would be

5.

defects:

(a) a cont: lling Authority, representative of all

interes concerned (including those of the consume and the worker), laying down plans for develop ant, having the ultimate deciding voice in the fixing of rates, determining what additio l facilities we required from time to time, and acting as a policy-making body, and

(b) a sing] public corporation cerating, within the

limits mposed by the Authority's control, the bulk of the facilities of the Port, established on the ines of such a body as the L.P.T.B.

The scheme outlined in the Owen Report has three main

(i) The proposed Trust is not sufficiently

representative.

(ii) Adequate provision is lacking for the limitation

of profits arising from the operation of the natural resources of the harbour and its public utilities.

(iii) Assuming a Trust, legislation should empower it

to "operate", where the interests of the community would thus be served, as well as to "control".

(Continued)