CO129-608-7 Future policy- Report on Port Administration by Sir David Owen 24-2-1941 - 24-2-1941 — Page 421

ד

503

constituted as separate subsections in a single department of the Government distinctly outside the sphere of activities of the Port Trust. Mr. Colman said that, even if it were considereŭ necessary to place the Surveyor of Ships' Department and the Thipping Master's Department under one head, be considered that och a post was not sufficiently important to warrant the appointmen of Commander Jolly. Mr. Wurtzburg said that apart from the question of whether the post was a suitable one for Commander Jolly, he considered that it was important that a suitably qualified person be appointed in charge of the Government Marine Department and he wished to emphasise that in his opinion the person appointed to this post should be one with practical experience of applying the "Board of Trade" regulations and that it should normally be regarded as a civilian appointment to be filled on the advice and recommendation of the Board of Trade,

In reply to questions, Hr. Colman said that in his opinion the appointment of a Deputy Chairman or a General Manager in addition to a Fort Officer would necessitate an addition to the establishment which would not be justified, at any rate in the early stages, as the Port Trust was not intended to operate the port's facilities; and he would Hope that Commander Jolly would accept the post of Port Office in charge

of those of the Harbour Master's functions taken over by the Port Trust: it was an important post calling for enthusiasm, technical knowledge and ability of high order. The Mooting agreed that the limited scope of the intended activities of the Port Trust did not warrant the appointment of a full time deputy Chairman or General Manager in addition to the administrative staff so far considered necessary.

3. Allocation of the Harbour Master's functions.

OX

Mr. Colmar vas asked for his views on the Memorandum on the re- allocation of the Harbour Master's Aunctions which had been considered by I the Committee. He said he agreed generally with the aljocation suggested

and that the "Buard of Trade" functions should be dealt with by a Government Department, or departments, quite distinct from the Port Trust He thought, however, that the Fort Trust should take over the Yaumati Slipway so as to enable it to carry out surveys of launches and to maintain the Port Trust craft, The For Trust could then service, repayment terms, the rest of the Government small creft. He mentioned, that this suggestion was supported by the Harbour Master. It was generally agreed that as this would avoid the necessity of both the Government and the Port Trust having separate installations, it would probably be a mutually satisfactory arrangemont. In the 'course of discussion, the view was expressed that the consequential reconstitution of the Marine Court could easily be brought into effect by the Law Officers of the Crom in Hong Kong, and that, although it would not be desirable for the Port Officer of the Trust to act as a Marine Magistrate; there would not appear to be any objection to his being appointed a marine assessor when necessary.

Port Engincer.

Mr. Colman said that he considered that the Trust should have a Fort Engineer's Department to carry out maintenance and development work, and that this department of the Trust should carry out, by arrangement with the Goverment, reclamation schemes. He also said that he hoped that Mr. Nicol, who, the Chairman remarked, was a very oxperienced port engineer with knowlege of methods employed in other countries including America, would join the Trust as its Fort Engineer.

Mr. Lang thought that the Trust's Fort Engineer's Department should be concerned with maintenance work only and that, as devolopment and roclemation schemes were part of Government policy, those should be the subject of budgettod expenditure voted by Legislative Council and should be carried cut by the Public Works Department, The Chairman alco expressed oubts about the desirability of the Fort Trust as a separate financial entity being responsible for capital expenditure. After some

*

1