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P.S. Since writing the foregoing, I have received from the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, notes from his files embracing further information of what has been done in connection with bringing the Depot Scheme to the notice of the Government and I attach hereto copy of the Memorandum received.

Minute of a Joint Meeting of the General Committee and Shipping Sub-Com- mittee of the Chamber of Commerce held on 14th November, 1923, and attended by the Chief Superintendent of Police, the Harbour Master and the Crown Solicitor :-

The following discussion took place on Mr. Sutherland's letter of 26th October, 1923, putting forward his depot scheme.

Mr. Wolfe said that such a scheme was bound to be more efficient and probably more economical and he was entirely in favour of it.

The Chairman (Mr. D. G. M. Bernard): My proposal is that the Chamber should send a letter to the Government.

The Meeting approved the Chairman's proposal subject to any views expressed by the Steamboat Company.

At a General Committee Meeting held on 25th February, 1924, the Hon. Mr. P. H. Holyoak intimated that the Steamboat Company would be willing to fall in with such a scheme provided the Government compensated them for wharves taken

over.

Extract from Mr. Bernard's speech as Chairman at the Annual Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce held on 24th March, 1924 :-

"In view of the fact that pirates generally embark as passengers, after surreptitious- ly conveying arms on board---sometimes possibly amongst the cargo-Mr. Sutherland has put forward a scheme for a central embarking and disembarking station for all passenger vessels trading with the Canton Delta. The Committee approves the idea in principle as a means for facilitating the work of the police in searching intercepting opium and arms smugglers and other undesirables, besides aiding the public health service in times of epidemic. The proposal is one which cannot be adopted without due consideration of shipping conditions as a whole, or without due regard to the practical and economical. working of the steamers concerned. These are factors which would need to be provided for in developing the scheme; and, if it can be made to dovetail into existing shipping organizations without injuring economic working, the proposal has much to commend it.

At a Joint Meeting of the General Committee and the Shipping Sub-Committee, held on 3rd March, 1924, Mr. Sutherland developed his scheme in a memorandum, and as a result of the Meeting a letter was addressed by the Chamber to the Government on the 10th March, 1924, which contained the following sentence:-

I am to state that after a full discussion at a Joint Meeting of the General Committee and the Shipping Sub-Committee, held on March 3rd, the Chamber ap- proves these proposals in principle and would welcome the practical development of such a scheme, with due regard to general conditions affecting shipping.

In acknowledging this letter under date 25th March, 1924, the Colonial Secretary

wrote:

"I have laid this before His Excellency the Governor, who desires me to ex- press his appreciation of Mr. Sutherland's work in putting forward the scheme and to say that the matter will receive careful consideration.