60
(21/24)
(3) on 53627/48 (Paras. 1 14 only)
of the 20th July, to which I have already
referred, Scarlett mentions the Hong Kong
Government's claims against the Chinese
Government for the return of coaches and
•
wagons belonging to the British section
of the Kowloon - Canton Railway. At our
short inter-departmental meeting on the
12th August before Mr. Hsu arrived I
mentioned that the Hong Kong Government
has in fact obtained the return of these
coaches and wagons and that this
particular claim against the Chinese
Government may be considered as closed.
To complete this picture I enclose a copy
of the relevant paragraphs of Hong Kong
despatch No. 68 of the 6th April
7. The fourth and last point to which I'
wish to refer here is that raised by Wass
in his letter to you of the 13th August
((a) above) - viz. who should make the
immediate payment to individual claimants
for rent of, and damage to, the property
occupied by Chinese troops. I also refer to
the statement in your letter of the
2nd October to Scott ((e) above) that you
are awaiting advice from the Treasury in
due course whether you or the Colonial
Office shall be responsible for making the
immediate compensation payments. There is,
I think, a misunderstanding in that
statement.
The decision as to who should
be liable for immediate payment rests
between