COPY.
Gentlemen,
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 11th. June, 1919.
613
With reference to the interview that Mr.
Bowley had yesterday with His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, at which the Director of Public Works and I were present, I am directed to write to you as
follows.
2.
In your letter of the 19th. May you state that your clients are very much annoyed at the delay in this matter, but I may remind you that the delay has bem entirely caused by the failure of the promoters of the soheme for developing a portion of the South Side of the Island of Hongkong to take any steps to carry the scheme into effect although constantly urged by this Government to do so during the past three years. It is alleged by Mr. I. T. Williams, who was associated with your firm in the original negotiations, that owing to the war it has been impossibl. to raise the capital necessary for the undertaking. This Government does not admit that it is under any further obligation in the matter, but in view of the fact that it is manifestly to the public advantage that the scheme should be carried into effect, the Government of Hongkong is prepared to re-open the negotiations on the lines of the draft Agreement subject to the following modifications:-
(a). The promoters must on or before the 3lat.
December, 1919, satisfy the Government as to their ability to construct the tramway referred to in clause 1 of the Agreement, and to finemee the scheme generally. The only
sera. Dennys and Bowley.
action
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