(F 8679/8204/10)
At
ANSWD
10
RECEIVED 29DEC 1932
Dear Cowell
COL.OFFICE
49
FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.
28th December, 1932.
We are rather worried as to possible repercussions
of the Hongkong Foreshores and Sea Bed Amendment Ordinance,
1932, a copy of which was enclosed in your official letter
No. 92583/24/32 of December 15th.
The ordinance is no doubt a perfectly proper and
reasonable one and any riparian owner or lessee affected
by it will no doubt receive fair compensation when
compensation is due. What we are afraid of is that the
Chinese will find support in its terms for their
extravagant ideas as to the rights of the territorial
authorities as against the owners or occupiers of riparian
properties, and that compensation machinery which would
work quite fairly in British territory will either not be
set up or not be allowed to work fairly in China in short
that the Chinese will pick what suits their book out of the
H.R. Cowell, Esq., C.M.G.
Hongkong
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