CO537-3711 — Page 24

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but according to r. Kwok's statement (see below) it did agree in principle and instructed the magistrate of Lo On to draw up plana. However, no comunication was received on the subjeut by H.2.0. from the Chisese Government but, a result of an indiscretion on the part of the magistraté the Chinose Proau got to know about the project and articles appeared in the Chinese newspapers early in September, 1946. These articles stated that the Chinese Government was planning the establishment of a District Office in Howloon City for the purpose of protecting Chinese sovereignty, kad repeated the allegations made in the past to the effect that Kowloon City was Bever included in the lease to Great Britain. The Hong Kong Government at ones issued a statement on the 15th September, 1946 (Paper 5, Mo. 3) repudiating the suggestion that Kowloon City was not included in the leased territory, and giving the salient facts of the history of the matter. This led to an interview between kr. wok, Chinese Special epresentative

in Hong Kong, and the Governor, Sir Dark Toung. At this interview kr. Zwok revealed that the statements in the Chinese Frean were the result of unauthorised disclosures on the subject. He was leted why the Chinese Government had not approached H.1.0. before proceeding to instruct its officials to draw up plans regarding Kowloon City, and he Zave no satisfactory explanation of this, but proceeded to re-assert the Chinese claims and to

alle, ations regar- ding the conditions inside the City. The Governor did not discuss these points with him but observed that the facts of the matter were set out is the lovernment statement of Geptember 18th, and that if the hinese Government wished to raise the subject they would doubtless decide what representations they wished to make. The Chinese Govern --- ment did not, at this stage take up the matter on a diplomatic level, as between Governments. They did, however, issue a public statement on the 18th September, 1946, reaffirming their claim to the City. In the meantime, K.. Abassador to Ranking was instructed to adopt a particularly non-ocmittal attitude towards any questions from the Fress about the future of Hong Yong and the New territories, and to aay that he was not in a position to make any statement on the matter.

13. The facts of the 1-cidents which have brought the present dispute to a head are that on 27th November, 1947, the Hong Kong Government issued eviction notices against persona living in Kowloom. These were ignored, and on 11th December, 1947, summonses were aerved, The case WAL heard before the Kowloon Kagistrate on the 16th December, and he ordered that all persona illegally occupying Crown land or living in unauthorised structures in Fowloon Walled City should be evicted and the unauthorised structurea diamantled. On 22nd Decmber, notice of this order was served on the residents of the Walled City who were at the sume time given information as to where alternative living accommodation could be obtained. The eviction was carried out with police support on the bth January, 1948. In the fourse of the aviation two individuals were arrested, and on the 12th January they were sentenced for obstruction to three months hard labour.

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