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(3)
CHIEF ENGINEERS, SECOND OFFICERS AND SECOND ENGINEERS OF NEW AND TRANSFERRED SHIPS COULD BE ALIENS AND WOULD BE ACCEPTED FOR EMPLOYMENT ON HONG KONG-REGISTERED SHIPS ON THEIR MERITS. THIS WOULD INVOLVE AND INDIVIDUAL EXMAINATION OF EACH OFFICER'S QUALIFICATIONS AND RECORD OF SEA SERVICE BUT DECISIONS WOULD BE BASED ON GENERAL PRINCIPLES DRAWN UP BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY. THESE COULD ENVISAGE THE ACCEPTANCE OF ANY OFFICER HOLDING CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY SPECIFIED TRADITIONAL MARITIME COUNTRIES, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ORAL EXAMINATION IN THE CASE OF CERTAIN OTHERS, WHILE THE HOLDERS OF A THIRD CATEGORY MIGHT BE REQUIRED TO SIT A WRITTEN EXAMINATION, ALL OFFICERS WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH,
(4)
ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND CREW ACCOMMODATION WOULD BE ON THE LINES ENVISAGED IN THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT BUT THE SECONDMENT ARRANGEMENTS PROPOSED BELOW WOULD HELP TO MEET THE DIFFICULTIES FORESEEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE.
(5) IN ORDER TO ASSIST WITH THE VERY CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK INVOLVED AND TO DEMONSTRATE THAT NO LOWERING OF STANDARDS WOULD TAKE PLACE, WE WOULD SECOND A NUMBER OF EXPERIENCED SURVEYORS TO HONG KONG. THESE WOULD COMPRISE A MIXED DISCIPLINE GROUP PROBABLY HEADED BY A SURVEYOR EQUIVALENT IN RANK TO DEPUTY CHIEF. THE SURVEYORS WOULD BE PAID BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT (INCREASED REGISTRATION FEE REVENUE SHOULD COVER THE COST), WOULD FORM PART OF THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE'S STAFF BUT WOULD BE ABLE TO ASK HIM TO REFER MATTERS TO LONDON WHERE DECISIONS CONTEMPLATED WERE FELT TO INVOLVE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN STANDARDS THAN FOR UK SHIPS, THESE SURVEYORS WOULD BE CONCERNED WITH ALL MATTERS AFFECTING THE ACCEPTANCE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURED OUTSIDE THE UK, CREW ACCOMMODATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF CERTIFICATES UNDER PARAGRAPH (3) ·
ABOVE.
(6) THE REVISED TERMS APPLICABLE TO THE HONG KONG REGISTER WOULD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE BE LIMITED TO THE SHIPS OF EXISTING HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS. THIS WOULD PARTLY BE DICTATED BY THE WORK LOAD (AN EXTRA 10M GROSS REGISTERED TONS) BUT WOULD ALSO AVOID THE DIFFICULTIES FORESEEN HERE THAT THERE WOULD BE A FLIGHT TO THE HONG KONG REGISTER IN WHICH UK SHIPOWNERS WOULD BE AT A DISADVANTAGE. THE DEFINITION OF 'EXISTING HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS'
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