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The conversation then covered the obligations of the S.M.C., 1.0. loans, franchise, and treatment of employees or ex-employees. Mr. Wallinger mentioned the difficulty being encountered by released internees of re- entering their homes owing to interlopers (who might have been bona fide acquisitors from Japanese). Kiang expressed surprise that it should be so. (Kiang said that H.E. had also referred to this). Mr. Lamb observed that sha, name thing was being reported from Tientsin.
Kiang mentioned that he had spoken about the need of a formal and orderly taking over of Shanghai to Hsu Tao-lin, himself a lawyer and head of the Political Department of the Executive Yuan, who expressed complete agreement with those views which he undertook to represent to the Waichiaopu, when he met them in connection with this issue.
Kiang also observed with a smile that Yeh Shao-ying, another member of the three-man commission, had been Senior Inspector of the S.M.C. Special Police (who corresponded with London Special Constables).
Though only theories and principles were actually discussed, as was proper and natural in the circumstances, it was clear that both our Chinese visitors were in full agreement with the fundamental issue of a proper and formal assumption of control through negotiation and agreement.
Kiang raised the point regarding the nature of proof of ownership to be produced by foreign claimants to property, which he thought should be documentary. Mr. Lamb said that if the Japanese had not looted archives the following proffs should be available in shanghai at least:- (a) Consular registers in the British Consulate-General Land office; (b) s.M.C. voters registers, as any transfer of property qualifiable for a vote (which in practice meant almost any trensfer) was reported by the British Consulate to the S.M.C. for record in such register.
On the other hand the Chinese Land office records would be incomplete as following Japanese extension of influence after 1937, it was our policy not to register transfers with the pupret land office, and moreover until about 1941 at least, the Chinese Government land registers had been kept in custody by the S.M.C., who were however eventually forced under heavy pressure to hand these records to the puppet office - but even then there would have been very few British transfers so registered. Thun there should be good. YEKULER STEDERECE EXETtskewed. Thus there should be good records of transfers up to 1937 in all three sources of reference, and after that date until Pearl Harbour in H.M.C.G. and the S.M.C. filos.
The session terminated in a spirit of good will and with mutual expres- sions of a desire to cooperate.
Incidentally Kiang suggested to Tsang that he should read Feetham's Report, which contained the text of the Land Regulations, no copy of which was in either of their possession.
(Signed) L.H. L.
20/9/45
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