CO129-608-7 Future policy- Report on Port Administration by Sir David Owen 24-2-1941 - 24-2-1941 — Page 27

APL.I

2

33

3.

4.

Constitution of the Committee.

The Committee was constituted with the following members:

The Hon. Mr. T. M. Hazlerigg, C.B.E., M.C. (Chairman), Commodore D. H. Everett, C.B.E., D.S.O., R.N.,

Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong,

The Hon. Mr. V. Kenniff, Director of Public Works, Mr. W. M. Thomson, Director of Supplies, Trade & Industry, Mr. I. B. Trevor, M.C., Manager of the Railway,

The Hon. Mr. D. F. Landale,

The Han. Mr. T. N. Chau, C.B.E.,

The Hon. Mr. C. C. Roberts,

Mr. R. Y. Frost,

Mr. Lawrence Kadoorie,

Mr. R. A. Wickerson,

Mr. Li Koon-chun,

Mr. C. G. F. F. Melmoth (Secretary).

Circumstances which lead to the appointment

of this Committee.

(1) In 1941, the late Sir David Owen, formerly General Manager

of the Port of London Authority, visited the Colony and submitted a

report in which the main proposal was that a Port Trust to control,

but not to operate, the port facilities be set up in Hong Kong.

His proposals were accepted in principle by the Governor in Council

at that time. (A copy of Sir David Owen's Report is included in

Appendix I.)

(2) Before hostilities ceased and prior to the re-establishment

of Civil Government in Hong Kong, arrangements were made in London on

the assumption that the creation of a Port Trust as outlined by the

late Sir David Owen, would form part of the programme of work to be

carried cut in the course of rehabilitating the Colony. Mr. C. J. Oolman,

then Director General of Ports and Navigation, Iraq, and previously for

many years a principal officer of the Calcutta Port Trust, was engaged

for a short term to set up the proposed Port Trust, and a Hong Kong

Port Consultative Committee was convened in London to advise the

Secretary of State on matters concerning the carrying into effect of

the late Sir David Owen's proposals. The London Committee concluded

its work on the 17th April, 1946, by considering and commenting on a

draft Port Trust Ordinance which Mr. Colman had prepared, as by that

time the Civil Government was about to be restored in Hong Kong.