COTY
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT.
UNITED KINGDOM SHIPPING REPRESENTATIVE
FOR THE FAR EAST,
HONG KONG,
P.0. Box: 369.
Telegrams: Shipminder Telephone: 28569
My
201, Victory House,
Wyndham Street,
Hong Kong.
1st July, 1948.
Rof:- 589/53/RD/Di..
FROM:
United Kingdom Shipping Representative for Far East.
HONG KONG,
TO:-
The Secretary, The Ministry of Transport, LONDON, W.1.
(Copies to:-
Colonial Secretariat, HONG KONG. Commodore, Hong Kong.
Director of Marine, HONG KONG.).
38
REPORT ON COMPENSATION FOR SHI'S REQUISITIONED UNDER THE HONG KONG DEFENCE
PLAN, 1941, AND RELATED MATTERS.
INTRODUCTION.
10
This Report is written in response to instructions contained in your telegram MAST. No. 901 of 14th May. Parallel instructions were received by the Governor of Hong Kong from the Secretary of State for the Colonies and by the Commodore of Hong Kong from the Admiralty. After preliminary bu discussion between the Colonial Secretariat, the Commodore's Office and myself, the relative records of the Hong Kong Government were put at my disposal on
I have 4th June, 1948. Subsequently I was shown certain Naval records. been much assisted in putting this material together by the personal: recollections of Mr. J. Jolly, C.R.E, the present Director of Marine, who at the time hostilities commenced in Hong Kong already held the same post under the title by which it was then known, namely Harbour Master. Although the records supplied to me are by no means complete, it seemed to me undesirable to ask shipowners for further information until the main questions of policy were settled.
FACTS BEARING ON CLAIMS,
2. The principal facts bearing on the requisitioning of merchant ships in Hong Kong in December 1941 appear to be as follows:-
J
This is
(a) During 1940 and, 1941 there was drawn up in Hong Kong a Defence Plan. This was an agreed säheme of action to be taken by the Civil and Service authorities in the event of a war emergency. The plan was drawn up without regard to the respective financial liabilities or the parties undertaking
Action in each case was to be taken by whichever responsibilities under it. party appeared to be the best suited in the probable circumstances to take it, and the decision was not influenced by considerations of money. precisely what would have occurred in the United Kingdom at the time, where accounting between Departments of the Government was virtually abandoned, and was obviously the right course to adopt in the then circumstances of Hong Kong. It overlooked, however, that, unlike the United Kingdom, sources of revenue in Hong Kong were distinct and it is this which is now causing delay in the handling of claims.