TNAG-0323-FCO40-359-Legislation-for-merchant-shipping-registered-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 123

and radio equipment have been raised during the last

nine months but the crux of the problem has remained

"offieer manning".

3. t

ینیاتور

Mr Royl

in clou

-and, the fi

"the land mm tl in han

has kept in close touch with developments I mad

w't ul. DTI recorde meetings with Mr Pao

than

ват

been

in

дате

to meet

follows: ум

en letters J 25. May 90 September, getober (in Hong Kong) and December

attached

and April 1971.

C

Then view Mn Royle is again expected

Marded by mancied

June

1970

4. Since these papers were last submitted, the

Colonial Secretary has written:-

(a) to enquire whether any changes/relaxing

"officer manning" rules are contemplated

in the UK Merchant Shipping Act

(equivalent Hong Kong legislation would be

affected since it is modelled on the UK

Act).

K

and

(b)

to enclose a letter from Milburn,

L

Director of Marine to Mr Pao in which the

former/summarises the content of two

meetings he held with Mr Pao in March and

April this year.

2

5. Comment by the Marine Division, DTI on the

M, N

Colonial Secretary's letter and its enclosure has been

obtained.

ARGUMENT

6. Oral comment by DTI has been less guarded than

that recorded at Flags M and N but it is clear that,

although official consideration may be a

probability, this is a far cry from any development

likely to solve the problem of officer manning

within the next two or three years.

Conversely, in

the long term, it may prove to be a quicker solution

than the alternative suggested by DTI - namely that

- 2

/of

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