Confidential
1755
715
JAN15)
COLONIAL Secretary's OFFICE.
Hongkong, 7th November, 1914.
GENTLEMEN,
In continuation of my letter of the 30th October, I am directed to convey to you the following further instructions of His Excellency the Governor :—
Compradove Agreements.
1. The instructions given by telephone message on the 31st October with regard to Compralore Agreements are confirmed, nately, that the recommendations addressesl to you by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation on the subject should be complied with. The letter of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation appars to state the position securately, but in order to avoid any possible question as to liability of compradore and his sureties in respect of transactions entered into before your appointment as liquidator it is proposed to make this liability quite clear in an Amending Ordinance which will shortly be introduced.
Leases.
2. The Government have been advised that as a general rule lensos male before the outbreak of war to person who have since become alien enemies have not been determined either by the outbreak of war or by any subsequent local legislation. The question as to whether some legislation should or should not be introduced on this subject in the interests of all parties concerned is under consideration, but no such legislation is contemplated in the immediate future. Such losses therefore should be as sumed to be subsisting but reference should be unde to the Government in any cure where it is proposed to determine a lease by mutual consent or to compromise any claim by a lessor in respect of any such lense.
Remittances out of the Colony,
3. It is intended that you should have power to authorise remittances out of the Colony in all proper cases. Of course remittances to enemy territory are illegal, and great care should be taken in any suspicious cases of a proposed remittance to neutral territory.
Goods in the Colony belonging to the Canton Branch of the firm.
4. It must be understood that all the property in the Colony of an alien enemy firm is liable for the liabilities and charges of the local branch, whether such property be the subject matter of a transaction of the Canton branch or not. If the branch here is clearly solvent there will be no objection to delivering to Cauton goods for which payment hos been already received by the Hongkong brunch. The question of deliver- ing Canton ourgo which has not been paid for must stand over for the present.
Pending Import and Export Contracts.
3. As there is no power to disclaim any contract, and as failure to carry out any contract lawfully entered into by the German or Austrian firm will entitle the other party to a contract to a claim for damages against the estate, such contracts should be carried out if possible.
To
Liquidators of
J