Colonial Office No.54297/3/49. Sect. File
No. 5/2361748.
(8)
SAVINGRAM
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
From the Governor, Hong Kong.
Date
11th
No. 9.2.8
Godown Fire.
November 1949.......
Your savingram No.659 of 8th July, 1949. Wing On
8
12
A representative Committee has just been appointed under the Chairmanship of the Special Adviser (Mr. W.J. Carrie) with members drawn from the Marine Department, Fire Brigade, Police, and Public Works Department, and including the Government Chemist and representatives of private firms engaged in the shipping, storage, import and export of dangerous goods and in fire and marine insurance. The terms of reference of the Committee are:-
(a) To use as a basis for investigation and recommendation for Port
handling etc. the Ministry of Transport Committee's Report on the sea carriage of dangerous goods.
(b) To use the findings of the Committee as a basis for the classification for Port purposes of all dangerous goods into classes, applying to each class such essential limitations in quantity and safety require- ments as may appear necessary.
(c) To revise and elaborate the present regulations relating to the
acceptance, movement, storage and issue of explosives.
(d) To consider in detail the necessary regulations and requirements to
be observed by vessels of all sizes conveying petroleum in bulk or in case,
within the waters of the Colony.
(e) To revise and elaborate the Regulations relating to the safe
transport of all classes of dangerous goods other than the above.
(f) To correlate, as far as possible, the sea and water carriage of
these commodities in the waters of the Colony with the requirements necessary for their safe handling on land.
(g) Generally to devise in consultation with the port and commercial
interests concerned, procedures which will improve port safety, facilitate shipping movement and enable, at the same time, a fully equipped merchant vessel to secure every possible advantage in handling these goods by virtue of its modern fire fighting and other equipment.
(h) To examine the feasibility and desirability of increasing the storage
capacity of the Colony, by the mooring of Dangerous Goods and Explosives hulks in suitable permanent anchorages away from densely populated areas, if and when necessary.
(i) To consider in line with the restrictions on, and prohibition of,
the carriage of dangerous goods in passenger vessels, what further restrictions on the carriage of such dangerous goods may be necessary in vessels engaged in the carriage of large numbers of unberthed passengers.
(j) To consider the degree of danger inherent in the carriage of many
local cargoes, such as rattan, smoked rubber sheet, carbon stick (compressed charcoal), raw cotton, gunny bags, glazing paper, local fireworks, etc. and to classify them in accordance with the general scheme.
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