COPY
To:
From:
Military Attache, H.M. Embassy,
Chungking.
Colonel L.T. Ride,
C.O., B.A.A.G.,
Kweilin.
Reference: Int/HQ/235 dated
16th February, 1943.
130
Subject:
Great Northern Telegraph Co.
Please refer to your telegram 0208 of February 12th.
2. The above company had about $180,000 H.K. in their account with the Chartered Bank, but this they were not allowed to operate. For the first few months they were the same as others in Hong Kong, that is they existed on the spare money they had. About February or March they were able to get $10,000 H.K. through the Danish Minister at Tokyo and later on in March 5-6.000 M.Y. were remitted from their Shanghai office through Canton to Hong Kong.
3. Subsequently they got further sums from Tokyo through the Minister, the last being 40,000 yen in August.
4.
When the banks were liquidated this company got about $27,000 from its account which was deposited in the Yokohama Specie Bank.
5. Danish Staff were paid 2/3rds the number of dollars they used to draw as their monthly salary, but when the dollar was devaluated to this was added a H.C.L. Allowance.
Local staff were paid half salary and in March the coolies messengers etc., were paid off in full. The Clerical staff were given 3 months notice on 25th April, all their back pay paid up in full and finally paid off in full plus pension in July.
The only person now drawing money from the company in Hong Kong are E.C. TRAERUP, the officer in charge and 6 or 7 pensioners.
6. Anderson made arrangements about his wife's hospital expenses from Waichow. He sent a note back through our organisation to Traerup, and Captain Hooper informed him on New Year's Eve that the note had been delivered.
Headquarters, B.A.A.G., Kweilin, China. 16 Feb. 43. LTR/RMK
Distribution:
Copy No. 1
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sd/- L.T. Ride,
Colonel,
C.O., British Army Aid Group.
H.M. Military Attache, Chungking.
G.S.I. (e), G.H.Q., New Delhi.
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