M.F. Branch, Admiralty,
Empire Hotel,
BATH,
Somerset.
HK.
24th January, 1950.
/
55
Eid.
(19) on '49.
Dear Palmer,
I am sorry to have been so long in forwarding our comments on Moberly's letter of 7th December last to you on the subject of denials damage at Hong Kong.
2. Our views on the general subject remain as stated in
(9)) on' Severs' letter of 22nd October, 1948 to Mitchell of the Ministry
of Transport and we see no objection from our point of view to the draft despatch to the Governor, Hong Kong, as amended by the Treasury. With regard to the point of difference mentioned by Moberly in his second paragraph, this is assumed to be covered by paragraph 4(iii) (now (iv)) of the draft despatch: we do not see that, if a legal liability flows from the terms of requisitioning that liability can be avoided.
3. Questions arising from the Secretary of State for Air's statement in the House of Commons appear to be under discussion separately between the War Office and Air Ministry.
4. I am sending copies of this note to Moberly, Robertson, Cairns, Prince, Hosie and Mitchell.
H. Palmer Esq.,
Colonial Office,
Church House,
Great Smith Street,
LONDON, S. W. 1.
Yours sincerely,
MLeid...
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