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COPY.
Enclosure 1.
711
Hongkong 20th. November, 1915.
The Hon. Mr. Qlaud Severn,
Colonial Secretary,
J
Sir,
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Chairman of the Licensing board.
With reference to the Annual Licensing Board Meeting
held on 3rd. instant at which two licences were refused, we beg to make the following observations.
Although a state of war existed between Grent Britain and (inter alia) Germany, this time last year, the licens- -ing board did not then raise any serious objection to iur. P. 0. Peuster holding a licace for the Peak Hotel, although this gentleman is of German astionality and only recently acquired Britisn naturalis: tion papers, but a good deal nas nappened since then må the licensing board by four votes to two on this occasion recommended that ur. Peuster should not be granted a licence.
The man is of military age; ais plea that he is un invalid may or may not be correct, but in my case should he return to his native land, naturalis:tion papers taken out in Honkon, would not be recognised by his Government.
The case of ur. F. Rei daanan is nowever on a differ- -out footing. This man while having been a resident for some ye-rs in hongkong and, we velieve, other British Colonies, has not given up his nationality and only applied for naturalisation papers after the outbreak of the war.
Last year by four votes to two the licensing board refused his application which however was granted by the Governor- -in-Council after appeal, Again this year the licensing board by five votes to one refused his application.
We now understand that the Governor has agreed to override the decision of the licensing board and to grant the above two men licences to continue their hotel business in this, a
British Colony, during the time of war.
We consider this decision to be altogether opposed
to
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