Codo
BIH (sår 5. (mt)
D. 31st December, 196,
R. 31st
18.35 bem.
9
FO. 1307
Your swringrem No. 556 of 14th forester
We Dennge Claims Commission,
I agree that a Lonion office is essential for purposes outlined in your paragraph 6 and I am grateful for rGASRITA:S given in last sentence of that paragraph,
reaga
2. Fart in dew of the fact that present proposals go rather further than times originally put forward in paragraph 2 of your savingram No. 132 (singapore No, 176) and paragraph 3 of your telegras 13. 1465 (Singapore 10, 1128, I am mucious to ensure that there shall be no development in character of the London office likely to mislead the public as to its true relationship to the Commission in malays, to hich all claims vol.11 have to be sent for registra ion in the first instance,
3. In the light of this consideration, I feel that proposed function of the London (ffice not out in subhead (a) of paragraph 2 of your seringram #kɔ. 556 reqúres olòscr definition unless it is intended to commay mo mire than is already implicit in subheads (b) and (e),
Subject to this reservation, I agree,
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Page
ong ou
55136/26/49
PRIORITY
SAVING
From the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
To the Officer Administering the Government of HONG KONG
DATE 5th August, 1949.
NO.
740
SAVING.
CONFIDENTIAL
10.
10
ge 10
My telegram No. 532 of 11th March 1948 and my Savingram No. 913 of 10th September, 1948.
War Damage Compensation - United Kingdom Far Eastern Private Chattels Scheme,
I enclose three copies of a Board of Trade announcement concerning the extension of the Scheme mentioned in my telegram under reference.
20 The original scheme applied only to persons who had been interned by the Japanese, but you will observe that the Extended Far Eastern Private Chattels Scheme increases the amounts of the original grants and also allows of grants being made to any United Kingdom British subject whether or not interned by the Japanese, who suffered the loss of private chattels as a result of the war with Japan, but that grants continue to be contingent on the individual taking up permanent residence in the United Kingdom, In the case of United Kingdom British subjects who have not yet returned permanently to this country, payment is to be deferred until such time as the individual does so return,
3. The scheme continues to be controlled by the Board of Trade and the Board are anxious that all applications from persons who may be eligible for ex-gratia payments under the scheme but who will not be returning permanently to the United Kingdom until some time in the future should be submitted to the Board as early as possible in order that such applications may be dealt with while the Board still has the staff available which is accustomed to deal with this matter; (rather than that applications should be submitted over a period of years). It is then the Board's intention to issue direct to the applicant a deforment letter stating the amount of the ex-gratia payment which the Board of Trade will be prepared to make to the applicant if and when he returns permanently to the United Kingdom,
Sp The Board desire, therefore, that sufficient publicity should be given the Extended Scheme locally so that the information may reach all who may be eligible for consideration for grants, in order that applications may reach the Board in the near futurs. The question of fixing a definite time limit for the receipt of applications is under consideration and you will be informed as soon as a decision has been reached.
5% While it is obviously necessary that all who may be eligible in Hong Kong should be aware of the Extended Scheme, you may consider that there might be objections to any notification being issued officially by the Government of Hong Kong, since there is no local war damage compensation schome and the Extended Chattels Scheme can apply only to the small and expatriate "United Kingdom British" section of the community in Hong Kong. In the circumstances you will doubtless agree that it is desirable that the Scheme should be associated in the public mind solely with the United Kingdom Government and should in no way be associated with the Government of Hong Kong.
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