54403/13/50
3.
12
C. D.W. (D) No.1785
HONG KONG
AS ISTANCE TOWARDS THE MECHANISATION
OF THE LOCAL FISHING FLEET
Grant of £20,000.
The Hong Kong fishing industry is most important to the Colony and at the end of the war with Japan urgent stops were taken to restore it. A Fishermans' Co-operative was organised with the main object of freeing the fishermen from the prewar system whereby they were bound to the Wholesale merchants ho financed their operations and took a disproportion te share of the catches in repayment of loans. The Co-operative collects, transports and auctions the fish, and pays the proceeds to the fishermen loss a deduction to cover expenses and repayment of Government loans. The experiment has been most successful and the financial position of the fishermen has i proved and funds have also been provided for welfare work. Schools have been established for the children of fishermen and also a training scheme under which the sons are taught the trade.
2. Fishing is carried out by junks, which not only curry the fishing gear and catches but also the fishermen's family and domestic animals; in fact the junk is the fisherman's home. In order to meet the heavy demand for fish, it is necessary to increase the mobility and fishing power of these vessels, and this can only be done by mechanisation. It was originally proposed that the mechanisation should develop along the lines of motorizing Chinese fishing junks as it was thought tht it would be uneconomic to build now vessels equipped with power and it was also thought that the process of mechanisation should be as gradual as possible so us to disturb as little as possible the domestic arrangements of the fishermen. A schomo was accordingly submitted for asistenco from Colonial Development and elfare funds for the mechanisation of junks and was approved as Scheme No. D. 998 at the end of 1948; this provided for grant of £10,000 and a loan of 40,000.
3.
After further consideration and discussion, it was decided that certain modifications wore necessary in the scheme as originally proposed. As the modifications
effectively meant the abandonment of the original Scheme, the Governor of Hong Kong was told that it was necessary to
cancel the Scheme and was asked to submit a fresh application for a grant under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act; the prosent memorandum is therefore submitted.
4. The conclusion has been reached that the junk is essentially a sailing vessel, unsuitable in design or form for self-propulsion. In order to produce a speed of eight knots, which is considered essential, it would be necessary to instul extravagantly large power units. It is, therefore, proposed to adapt Chinese methods of construction with a view to evolving self-propelled fishing vessel which would be suitable for local conditions and achanically efficient and sea-worthy. The fishermen themselves realise that a
/self-propelled
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