Copy
(F 3212/3212/10)
No. 197 (4/72S/40)
Copy to Hongkong No. 31.
My Lord,
British Embassy,
Tokyo.
11th April, 1940.
1202
~ 139.
26
With reference to your despatch No. 297 (F.3753/2906/10) of the 28th April last, enclosing despatch No. 178 of the 11th March from His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies regarding the outcome of the action against the Cheng Kee Company in the Kongkong Courts, I have the honour to transmit to Your Lordship herewith translation of a note which I have received from the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this subject.
2.
As the wording of the Japanese note appeared to be somewhat discourteous, the Japanese Counsellor took the matter up with the appropriate department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The head of that department maintained, however, that the phrases used in the note were not intended to be discourteous, although they were intended to be a little stronger in tone than usual because it was felt that the Japanese interests concerned had not received a just hearing from the Court in Hongkong. In these circumstances I would propose to accept the note but to return an equally stiff answer, and I enclose a draft of the proposed reply and should be glad to receive by telegraph the observations thereon both of Your Lordship and of His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong, to whom I am sending a copy of this despatch. In particular
I should be grateful if I might be informed whether I am correct in assuming that further legal remedies are still open to the Japanese interests concerned. judgments, one in the Supreme Court and two in the Suprem e Copies of the three Court sitting as a Court of Appeal, are also enclosed.
The Right Honourable
I have, etc.,
(Signed) R.L.Craigie.
The Viscount Halifax, K.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E.,
etc., etc.,
etc.